I'm not the biggest fan of Oxfam on the whole, as charities go it is the one that has most…read moreobviously become more of a business. In many cases the Oxfam shops sell second hand clothing at ridiculous prices under the guise of vintage, and I've even seen Primark clothing on sale there for a little more than it sells brand new! But Oxfam books is a shade different. Here there are literally hundreds of different books on sale. As with the standard Oxfam shops, some of these are a little overpriced, but with so much variety it's hard not to find a bargain in here. There are lots of popular texts, but also some really quirky old books, which have that lovely antique vibe. I wanted to find some specialist literature based around gender studies and feminist non-fiction and found a far better range and highlighted section than even Borders - which had merged those texts in with lesbian erotica! Oh the irony! Every item that I chose to purchase was super cheap and it was pleasing to know that some of my money, however much, should go to a good cause. A great gem of a bookshop for wee Headingley.

Oxfam Books is jolly good indeed. It is rather large and has clearly labelled sections with areas…read moreincluding gender studies, philosophy, gardening and much, much more. It's the kind of place you could spend forever in, browsing, reading, then curling up in a corner engrossed! It has a lovely, library-like feel to it with many other people flicking through pages and browsing the shelves. For the most part the books are very good value for money and the huge selection means you are absolutely guaranteed to find something you want to take away. They also sell a tasteful range of greetings cards. The staff seem lovely and you get the impression they really enjoy their job. Next time I have some pennies to rub together I'm definitely heading over there to stock up on books in preparation for springtime reading under a tree in my local park! Can't wait!

Volunteering for Hyde Park Source one day a week one summer is one of the best things I have done…read morein Leeds. In the Hyde Park/Burley area they re-develop the bin yards that every 4 houses shares on the streets of narrow back-to-backs that are usually totally unusable for anything and often filled with rubbish. The bin yards - with permission and in-put from the residents - are transformed into spaces that are nice to be in and usable, for growing plants or having bbq's. Mosaics get made, walls get painted and planters filled all with the help of volunteers like me and kids from school who don't necessarily get on in the classroom. It was such a rewarding experience for me. I got to learn how to lay paving, render walls, make mosaics, use a saw, all whilst supporting the young people on the project. Working with people in the community like this also widened my eyes to Leeds beyond the impermanent student bubble; I became aware of an older group of people involved in things such as Unity Day. The gardens really brighten up the area too and sometimes I wish I had a bin yard so they could come and jazz up my space!

I volunteer for Hyde Park Source once a week, and am really glad I do. It is really rewarding and I…read moreget to learn new skills and try out things I have never done before. They started out in 1998 with the idea of improving the local environment through building and renovating spaces that were not safe or just really dirty, into gardens, play areas and social spaces for people to enjoy. Nowadays the organisation is more based around training and development, but integrated with the environmental aspect it was previously surrounding. They provide support and training to disadvantaged young people through the various projects they take on around the community, teaching various construction, gardening, art and design and technology skills. Things such as digging, designing and making mosaics, willow weaving and bird house making are among many of the activities you can expect to find. It is a highly valued part of its community and provides a positive and educational place for people to come and learn or who just want to give something back.