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!

No one really needs an excuse to visit a charity shop, but I actually had one, I wanted to enquire…read moreand possibly pick up a form for a couple of the Race For Life events that take place from May through to September time. When I went in I think I was a little on the early side, and as I had no other purpose I decided to poke around. Charity shops have always been a bit phobia filled for me, I'm not really great with them and I convince myself of terrible scenarios as to why what's in them is actually there. Anyway, still full of guilt and with the icks I poked around regardless, and found it not as heinous as anticipated. Aside from various literature on ways to raise money and participate in events that get us all the more closer to the cure, there's a fair mixture of all things from clothing to trinkets to books. Not really sure on what's good taste to judge the price of charity shop items, but I wasn't outraged, and it's all going to a good cause.

Though relatively small, this charity shops makes the most of the space, making use of every nook…read moreand cranny to store a wide range of quality products. The shop is well lit and the products appear more varied and interesting than in most charity shops. They have a wide selection of shoes neatly displayed and a large range of quality handbags. They are also very well stocked for trousers and jeans and sell a range of new jewellery that is brightly-coloured, chunky and fun. I bought one of my favourite dresses here a while ago for £9.00 when they used to have an interesting vintagey section at the back with corresponding higher prices...but this section appears to have vanished - I wish they would bring it back! Overall this British Heart Foundation is a quality charity shop and well worth a visit!

There is something about charity shops that makes me feel good. I'm not sure whether it's the…read morebargains, or the pleasure in seeing stuff being given a new life, it might be just that it enables me to feel good about myself..... BHF is one of my regular charities so i try to call in and have a browse rarely leaving without treasure, this branch always has a good selection and the staff seem very pleasant.

Having lived in Leeds for quite a number of years now, I am ashamed to admit that I only recently…read morewent to the Cardigan centre for the first time. Set up in the late '80's to house small businesses and as a general space for the community to have meetings and such, it employs around 30 members of staff who run it. Rooms are available to hire our at an hourly rate. The rooms are simple, with enough chairs to host 40 people, a white board and a sink. They charge anywhere between 9 and 14 pounds, depending on whether you are using the room for community of business based events.

What a cool little shop and a great idea! Perfect if you don't need a hefty big paint pot for a…read moresmall wall or piece of furniture. I had a door to paint in my house and decided to check this place out after the reviews and really enjoyed looking around! I never thought I'd actually enjoy looking at pain...It's as boring as..well, er, watching paint dry usually.... The staff even do Mosaic workshops by recylcing bits and pieces and going off to schools to make mosaics...how cool! Anyway, if you need some paint, have a gander here first. You might find you save yourself a bucket full!

Admittedly, I've not actually purchased any paints from Seagulls (yet) but I had to add my…read morethoughts. On my treasure hunt in this amazing little retail area in Leeds, I nipped in for a sneaky peak, and it's just delightful. Basically, any paint colour you could wish for lies within and you've the added bonus that you're re-using discarded paints and doing your bit for the environment. It's innovations like this that lift your spirits. If you're considering a bit of a redecorate I would urge you to pop in here for a look before bobbing off to the old B&Q -for starters you'll have far much more fun planning your colour scheme, and you'll save rather a lot in cashinos to boot. Plus, if you're a fan of that paint smell, they've that in abundance...

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.

Community, community, community. Starting from the very grassiest of grassroots Oblong has survived…read moreyears of battles against bad landlords and the difficulties of securing funding to finally squeezing its way into Woodhouse Community Centre gaining better space provision for its large spread of activities as well as bigger platform from which to demonstrate a none-hierarchical organisation. You pay to become a member then have access to very good sources of IT and knowledge. You can volunteer to help on various projects from green space improvement to helping on the administration side of things or begin your own community-minded project. This is a fantastic place to learn new skills or just as a space to think away from the home or library environments.

Oblong is an excellent community resource centre near to Hyde Park. As soon as you walk in, you…read morefeel comfortable, and there's plenty of things to get involved in. For example, there is a bicycle maintenance workshop, an art group, computer lessons, and yoga classes. See their website for everything you can get involved in. The co-op food group is a terrific idea too.