OPAL hosted a community garden party at Welcome In Community Centre to reveal their ambitious plans for the grounds of the Centre. The event was attended by 130 local residents as well as Councillor Jane Dowson, in her role as Lord Mayor of Leeds, Leeds Rhinos players Brett Delaney and Liam Sutcliffe, Ronnie the Rhino and Leeds Rhinos Foundation Chief Operating Officer, Bob Bowman. West Yorkshire Fire Service white watch crew also attended with their fire engine and shared fire safety information as well as keeping children entertained letting them play in the engine.
OPAL is a charity that supports older people in the LS16 area of Leeds to lead happy, healthy, informed, independent lives. Their quest to transform the Welcome In Community Centre into a centre for people of all ages is an enormous project and one which will help integrate older people into the community as well as benefitting the wider community.
OPAL have so far raised over £350,000 to part renovate the Welcome In Centre which now boasts a Community Café for people of all ages, meeting rooms, therapy room, office space and an activity room. A further £200,000 is needed to complete the renovation of two large activity rooms and funding is also needed to landscape the grounds.
The former Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Jane Dowson, thanked everyone who has contributed with their time, skills and money to get the Community Centre and café to where it is today.
If you would like to support OPAL and their official kickstart to the Welcome In Grounds Masterplan, go to
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/welcome-in-grounds-redesign
