Working as a central point for community groups this building was established not to run resources…read morebut to supply the actual infrastructure needed to run dedicated working community groups from. In other words the building provided workstations and a quality working environment for community groups as well as good environment for fragmented, vulnerable or disenfranchised members of the community to seek help from. Groups in the centre include help for asylum seekers and refugees, South Leeds Health for All, Community Action and Support Against Crime and Leeds Development Education Centre.

Despite looking like a bank (it's housed in an old Barclay's building), the Roundhay Road Resource…read moreCentre is in fact a lively hub and an important resource for the community. The idea is to provide a one-stop shop for community services, offering reasonably priced office accommodation to groups working in the social sector. In practice, this means that individuals looking for support can come here and have many of their needs under the same roof. When I visited, it was still new and many of the spaces were unfilled, but already the atmosphere was warm, communal and engaging. Anyone who entered the building was made to feel welcome, which is especially good considering many of the groups operating from here work with vulnerable people, and there were plenty of staff on hand to advise and assist. They are currently advertising for more services to set up their offices here, and in my opinion any groups with social or environmental aims would benefit from being part of this community.

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.

There is a large Bangladeshi community in the Leeds area and this centre is a place where people…read morefrom Bangladesh can enjoy traditional cultural activities that may otherwise be scarce. It is also a great source of information for Bangladeshi people who may not speak fluent English or who are looking for education and training.

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.

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!

This place is amazing!…read more I have a bike which I regularly take down to service. They have the tools and the expertise and will guide you as much or as little as you need when repairing anythign on your bike. What an amazing idea. They ask that non-members donate between £2 and £10 based on how much help you've had, plus they have spare parts to sell you (lots of secondhand components, and they're not for profit so everything is extremely reasonable). Really well kitted out and nice, welcoming volunteers :)

From the owner: At Pedallers' Arms you can repair your bicycle. We have tools, new & second-hand bike parts & a…read moreworkshop you can use. It is a volunteer run, diy space where we support you to lean cycle maintenance.

The St. Gemma's Hospice conference centre is a gem in the heart of Moortown. Whilst I've not been…read morehere for much of their official services, I've been to their fantastic vintage fairs and Christmas fair and they always have a ton of things to see. The vintage fairs are always packed with innovative stall holders, selling their bounty at some seriously reasonable prices, and I've not managed to attend one without purchasing at least a few items. My friend last year walked away with a huge cabinet which only cost her five or six pounds, including the delivery! I don't think there's anywhere else that you could grab such a steal. I've also eaten at the canteen and enjoyed a joyous chicken roast dinner there one Sunday, which only set me back £3.40. I got a huge chicken leg, peas, two kinds of potato, parsnips and the rest and it was one of the heartiest meals I've had in a while. It may not be gourmet food, and it does feel like going for a school dinner given the layout etc, but for a full plate of well cooked home-made grub at such a small price you couldn't possibly complain! Their activities programme is always full, with lots of exciting stalls and such throughout the year, so it's well worth checking their website for the next item on the schedule. It goes without saying that your money will go to an incredibly worthy cause, and with all the exciting bits at the vintage fairs it's easy to forget that (see me, as magpie, with glittery shiny things all around me) but all in all you'd be a fool not to check out their programme. Be it for the fantastic bargains, the hearty lunch or merely a browse in their cutesy gift shop you really should check them out! P.s. Their charity shops are always fantastic too!