Citizen Magazine

of Leeds

+The Narnia ExperienceThe magic of communiTy TheaTre p4

Lilacaward winning eco housing in leeds p24

FREE

wE REFusE to bE

EnEmiEsa journey of

peace reTurns To leeds

p30

real stories | real people | real change | citizenmagazine.co.uk

Winter 2013/2014

inkwell’s refreshingly creaTive approach To menTal healTh

This magazine was printed on

zero carbon certified paper,

because we care about the

planet!

Please recycle this properly, if you

decided not to keep hold of it.

Citizen is a Kitzo Ltd project

Kitzo Ltd is a non-profit

organisation using design as

a medium for social change.

Company number 08228546

www.kitzo.co.uk

Editor & Creative Director

Bryn Abbott

[email protected]

Features Editor

Matt Tullett

Copy Editor

Simon O’Hare

Thank you to our contributors

Max Farrar

Hannah Conway

Fran Etherington

Keep in touch!Tell us what you think about

Citizen, and let us keep you

updated.

citizenofLeeds

@citizenMagazine

We also want to hear your stories

of those making a difference in

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Email your contributions to

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Are you a citizen of Leeds?

Then you are in great company. Leeds is full of amazing people, and this magazine is dedicated to telling their stories.

It’s still dark when you take the dog out for a walk in the morning, the grass crunches under your feet and the car windows need de-icing before you set off for work.

The winter months are upon us!

If this is the first time you have read Citizen, then you have picked a perfect time of year to start: these pages are full of stories to warm your cockles and fight away the winter blues.

I often find the cold weather reminds me of all the simple things in life that I take for granted: a roof over my head, a cosy home to return to, a warm meal at the end of the day.

But in turn, it also reminds me of those who aren’t as fortunate. While there is plenty of work to be done helping people at this time of year, at Citizen we want to provide an

opportunity to take a moment and acknowledge the amazing things that are being done. Leeds is full of ordinary people, doing extraordinary things. And they have some inspiring

thoughts and stories to share.

Bryn AbbottEditor & Creative Director

coN

TEN

Ts

30

18

1610

4Summer / Autumn 2013

09_ Room at the inn!The people welcoming the homeless into their home

10_ beautiful mindsInkwell’s refreshing approach to mental health

15_ small ChangeKit yourself out for the winter with these ethical items

16_ David oluwaleRemembering David, and learning from his life

18_ Face to FaceWe meet Val Hewison, the chief executive of Carers Leeds

21_ Area FocusWe explore who is working in Roundhay and Oakwood

22_ street AngelsBraving the cold to lend a helping hand

04_ the narnia ExperienceDiscover the magic of community theatre

24_ LilacAn award winning eco housing co-operative

28_ VolunteerOpportunities to get more involved

30_ Refusing to be EnemiesAn inspirational trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories

4 | real stories | real people | real change

citizenmagazine.co.uk | 5

e x p e r i e n c e

his magical adaptation of C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia features 150 performers, 200 technical staff and performances that run simultaneously. Demand

for this pioneering project, performed at a former church in Headingley, has been oversubscribed and was sold out before the first performance.

The Narnia Experience, Leeds, runs from 25th November to 8th December. Auditions were held in May to recruit the 150 strong cast ranging from eight years old to 70 years old and a crew of 50 people, working on costumes, sets and staging have been in action since Andy Murray’s final. This is not normal sit down theatre. Lynsey Jones, a former maths teacher turned actor and the Experience’s project manager and co-director, explains, ‘This is called labyrinth theatre or walk through

theatre. The audience enter the space through the wardrobe to the magical winter wonderland that is Narnia. They pick a journey: do they want to be Lucy or Edmund? Depending on their choice, they take a different trail through the space, meeting different Narnian creatures such as Mr Tumnus, Mr Beaver, Father Christmas, Aslan and The White Witch. This is immersive theatre so if you decide to follow Edmund’s trail, you become Edmund’s mind. What choices is Edmund going to make today? You will be asked questions, you will be encouraged to speak to the characters, to try some Turkish Delight, to join in Mr Tumnus’s dance.

‘We auditioned all sorts of people. We chucked it out to loads of community groups and we had a real range of replies. We’ve got people who are professional actors, right through to people who are trying this for the first time. So the main aim of the rehearsals was to build up people’s confidence. This is the most difficult type of theatre to expect beginners to take on board because the

audience are so close and you don’t have that fourth wall to protect them. Plus, each time they perform they’ll be with a slightly different permutation of that cast group. We’ve got about 11 cast members playing each character so we have 11 Mr Tumnuses, 11 White Witches and 11 Edmunds.

‘They’re doing brilliantly. Everyone is putting so much effort in. Community theatre has a bad reputation but attendance has been excellent. All we can ask is for people to do their best. You can’t expect miracles in two months but this is a chance to just have a go and I’ll be interested in January/February next year to see what the fruit of it is. It’s

a big skill stretch for some people. We’ve got someone making an Aslan puppet - a two-man puppet - who’s never made a puppet before in his life! People are rising to the challenge and adapting what they can do to make it work around theatre. I’m delighted.’

The day’s performances start at 9.30am and finish at 10pm: a new journey starting every 45 minutes on a loop and lasting

A ground-breAking, community theAtre extrAvAgAnzA in Leeds hAs soLd more thAn 5000 tickets during its two week run.

we’ve got peopLe who Are

professionAL Actors, right through to

peopLe who Are trying this for

the first time

the

WORDS & IMAgES MATT TuLLETT


an hour and a half. Such has been the mammoth task of putting this on that Lynsey and the creative team have been able to recruit people with theatrical experience including a former stage manager from the West End. ‘There’s an Excel spreadsheet that’s about a mile wide but I’ve been overwhelmed by the support, encouragement and input by established theatre practitioners I know in Leeds. There have been real elements of partnership throughout the creative process.’

The set was originally made for the creators of the Narnia Experience, In Another Place, which ran its Experience in Liverpool in 2009, 2011 and 2013, reaching audiences of 17,000. The Leeds project came about when Lynsey was approached by someone who knew the Liverpool production and was looking to pass the baton on to Leeds. Having been a volunteer at Left Bank in Headingley for a couple of years, Lynsey knew that it was the perfect space for the performance.

The Narnia Experience is all about the true meaning of Christmas. As Lynsey says, ‘I’d like people to leave knowing they’ve been part of something good. I want people to feel chuffed with themselves really and I think that’s what theatre does. It gives us a sense of purpose just for the moment that we all come together. This is for fun and for meeting new people, any one of whom could be “a new best friend”. It’s the same with the audience. I think at first they’ll be tentative, wondering what’s going to be asked of them, what’s

going to be expected, but the way the script has been written there are ways of bringing the audience in that just feel natural and you won’t notice that you’re joining in. So by the time you end, hopefully you’ll feel you’ve created something with us.’

As the opening performance drew closer, one of the characters had the opportunity for a micro

performance during the Leeds Night Light festival. A larger-than-life sized beaver house was constructed on the mezzanine floor of the Leeds Trinity shopping centre. Small groups of people were shown into the cosy space to see a sneak preview of The Narnia Experience. Performing as Mr Tumnus (pictured), Peter Croker told Citizen Magazine how much he has enjoyed taking part, ‘I love the character of Mr Tumnus. I even think I exhibit some of his qualities. I’ve been highly impressed by everyone’s dedication to the production.

The sets and the costume have just blown me away. Tonight has been a fabulous taster for just how close the audience will be to us when we’re performing.’

These micro-performances ran over two nights of the Light Night festival weekend. Ann Jenkins, playing Mrs Beaver, said, ‘I grew up with the BBC television series which has inspired me to take part in this production. It’s been challenging when we’ve been performing it a number of times an hour, not to come out of character, even in the middle of a shopping centre.’

Citizen Magazine also attended the extensive

innumbers

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peopLe operAting the AsLAn

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Lynsey jonesAkA. project mAnAger &

co director

“

i’d Like peopLe

to LeAve knowing they’ve

been pArt of something

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rehearsals and met some of the cast who will perform the same role, at the same time, as the simultaneous performances make their way through the Narnia landscape.

Jacob Phillips and John Mcveagh both play the character Edmund, ‘We were both in an A-level exam piece which was promenade, walking round rather than sitting, but it’s going to be epic to transform all this indoor space into the outdoors. In the promenade piece we led the audience round with us which is what made us really excited about this, returning to our A levels. With The Narnia Experience, it’s quite a young audience so we have to make sure they’re following us and not wandering off. It will be quite a challenging but exciting experience. The interesting thing about this production is that the audience become your character so Edmund’s group will be referred to as Edmund and expected to interact as Edmund. It may take the audience a while to get their head round the idea that they won’t be sitting, there won’t be an interval and there won’t be curtains to signify the end. Instead they get to go inside Narnia. That excites people, particularly the smaller children but even the adults who’ve grown up reading the Narnia books.’

One such reader is father of three, Jonathan gray. By day, Jonathan is a solicitor for a very large city law firm dealing with road traffic accidents; a complete departure from his role playing a bumbling old professor in a study. ‘The part I play is to draw the performance to a close and to leave the audience with some understanding of what the story’s about: linking it with the Christmas story but also leaving them with some questions. I’ve read all the books and love the stories. I’ve even read the conspiracy theories about all the stuff that Lewis put in there so it’s quite fun to actually be part of it.

‘There have been some comments at the office but mostly fairly muted. These are all lawyers who don’t react much so there’s been a bit of joking about it but I haven’t gone into much detail yet. I’ll put some flyers out shortly and tell them I’m

going to be involved. Most of them will be supportive but my boss is rude to me anyway!’

Jonathan believes The Narnia Experience has something for all the family and his enthusiasm is infectious. ‘The whole thing is incredible. I mean it’s brilliant. It’s going to be great to be immersed in the story instead of sitting in an audience, watching it on a stage. Anyone who’s got a bit of imagination should really enjoy it and I think it’s one of those things, the more you give yourself to it the more you get out of it. So those who throw themselves in and suspend their disbelief will have a great time. It’s like being in a pantomime. If you go with a sense of having a laugh and joining in I think you’ll get a lot out of it.

i Love the chArActer of mr tumnus. i even think i exhibit some of his quALities

pete crokerAkA. mr tumnus

“

Shine is a stunning office, conference and events centre that re-invests in its

local community

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shineMeet Work Eat Socialise

est. 2006


he grace Hosting project is a scheme which provides support for refugees and asylum seekers who find themselves homeless in the uK. Volunteer ‘hosts’

provide short-stay accommodation to asylum seeker ‘guests’, providing a sanctum where guests are able to eat well and rest, feeling safe and secure perhaps for the first time since they have arrived in the uK.

Steve* arrived alone in the uK and like many other asylum seekers found that he was homeless. Forced to seek any shelter he could, he found himself in a situation where he was in constant danger of being robbed and physically attacked.

Steve was forced to leave his family behind when he fled to the uK; whom he misses terribly and worries about constantly. While seeking shelter in a place that offered no security he was robbed and they took, along with other possessions, the only photo that he had of his wife and daughters. On another occasion he was brutally beaten, kicked and punched,

We learn about the people welcoming the homeless into their home

A LittLe Kindness And generosity MAKes such A significAnt difference in the Lives of refugees And AsyLuM seeKers who experience hoMeLessness

suffering severe injuries that needed hospital treatment.

The grace Hosting project provided Steve with a secure place, where he had access to food and somewhere to rest his head in the knowledge, for the first time since he arrived in the uK, that he was safe and supported. He still struggles with the separation from his family, but he is grateful to his host for helping him to escape an existence where he was simply surviving. By providing him with the most fundamental human needs, the grace Hosting project enabled him to focus his energies on working towards his future.

Steve’s host, Brian*, said that after just a few days as a guest, he looked 10 years younger.

The grace Hosting programme is not only incredibly beneficial for the guest but also for their host. Brian could not express enough how much he enjoyed hosting Steve; the experience of a host is unboundedly rewarding, broadening your horizons and allowing you to travel the world from the comfort of your own living-room; the world has come to you.

A little kindness and generosity makes such a significant difference in the lives of refugee and asylum seekers who experience homelessness, and as a host you can gain so much from this experience.

*names have been changed

There are two ways in which you can become involved with Grace Hosting, one is to become a host and the other is to become a co-ordinator.

‘Hosts’ are volunteers who have a spare bedroom, some free time in the evening and the generosity to welcome guests into their home.

Co-ordinators are responsible for arranging the placement of destitute asylum seeker guests with volunteer hosts.

The application forms for both hosts and co-ordinators are available to download from the LASSN website - www.lassn.org.uk/short-stop/

For further information contact Katrina, the LASSN Grace Hosting manager, on 0113 373 1759 or email [email protected]

How can I get involved?

No Room AT THE INNWORDS HANNAH CONWAY

T

A refreshingly creative approach to mental health at Inkwell

former pub in Leeds has become a hotbed of diverse creativity for referred mental health service users and the local community. Having been

established three years ago, this re-branded initiative from Leeds Mind offers studio space, classes in art and a café environment where the value of artistic expression is equal to that of the value of the individual. All of which is a proven approach to improved mental health wellbeing.

citizen speAKs to three peopLe whose Lives hAve been deepLy enriched by this ApproAch.

WORDS & IMAgES MATT TuLLETT


I was employed by Leeds Mind as a development worker. We were working with a small number of service users who attended painting and drawing classes to encourage self-expression and we needed studio space. We wanted a clean, open plan space for artists, room for a café, rooms for cooking and ceramics; above all it needed to be safe and comfortable. I looked for a suitable space across the city and this coincided with the departure of the previous community arts manager. We took the step of not replacing that person and instead used the salary to supplement the cost of this building.

More than the money, it was people’s energy that went into developing the space which surprised us. We moved in and wondered how on earth we would transform it. But people walked through the door, accepted that the Shoulder of Mutton pub was no more, learned what we were about and came in with hammers, paint brushes and paints and provided so much help. This was the beginning of our volunteers embracing Inkwell.

We slowly realised that such a creative arts space attracted large numbers of creative people who cared for this community and beyond – this had a huge impact on us. We were no longer looking at groups and art sessions run by a volunteer tutor, we had a space that the mental health community and local community could use.

We run arts and craft activities for people referred by a mental health professional. This has and will always be our focus. But now we have many other classes with WEA, East Street Arts, Swarthmore and many other creative activities. We target people within the mental health system who wish to do these creative activities and also people from the local community.

As for linking people’s personal wellbeing and the method in which they work with us, it’s developed from what we expected. Initially we expected people to join us for painting and drawing – it’ll make you feel better, it’s reflective practice, you sit and paint, you think about the world and this will be beneficial. We still have a lot of that, but now we realise that folk who access mental health services can be part of organising events. This space offers ownership to those that choose to use it. So we make decisions about how we can raise money, where we can do it and what activities we can run. This is a pioneering

thought process for people who once thought ‘I’m here for an art session.’

This space allows us to be entrepreneurial and to be creative in our fundraising events. It allows our students and our volunteers to establish social enterprises that can assist in raising money for Inkwell and for themselves as well. In the garden we grow our own food for the café, working with the conservation volunteers. We work in partnership with Cloth Cats who have lived experience of mental health difficulties and Arts and Minds; both wonderful organisations. We provide a safe space for our service users and the local community where they can socialise and that isn’t the hustle and bustle of Leeds City centre. We play live music, we have real ale from a local brewery and a lovely atmosphere for people who might otherwise not experience that.

We think of ourselves as an educational centre. Modern life makes it very difficult for us to find creative space and I think society’s current political

economic approach to participation in education is as a consumer: to get reward; to get a better job; skills to better yourself or to improve your prospects. At Inkwell, creativity, education and wellbeing go hand in hand. The days of participating in night-classes purely for your own enjoyment are disappearing. It’s such a shame.

Inkwell is about how volunteers interact with us and what they give to the project. I try to tell people constantly; Inkwell is about the people who use this space, namely our volunteers and our students. When people walk through the door, we do not look for a diagnosis, we focus on their potential. We work hard to make people feel comfortable at all times. We even meet people outside so they don’t have to walk through the door on their own until they feel able to do so. The biggest thing is to cross our threshold – it can be the most difficult thing for many.

We’re not the only people to have received cuts to our funding but we are so grateful to Leeds City Council and to Adult Social Care for the money they provide to keep our services going, along with Leeds Mind, enabling us to do what we are doing and being so supportive.

At inKweLL, creAtivity, educAtion And weLLbeing go hAnd in hAnd


12 | real stories | real people | real change 12 | real stories | real people | real change

I’ve been volunteering here for four years and I’m now at the stage where I feel well enough to apply for a paid role with Inkwell.

When I first became involved I was lacking in confidence and self-esteem. I’ve been out of work for many years as the result of mental health problems. Quite frankly, I’m surprised at just how rosy the future is now looking for me.

I put that down to the opportunities and environment Inkwell has offered me. I feel so valued here, as part of a team and as part of society; feeling that I can make a valuable contribution. I assist in the day-to-day running, helping to manage and organise the space for groups; simple things like keeping on top of tidiness and

maintenance of our creative spaces after each session (well known to be a challenge in artist’s studios the world over).

I remember the first time I came to Inkwell I was shown around the building and I was terrified. I was nervous and anxious, I found it hard to speak to people. I felt I didn’t fit in. I wondered what I was doing here. Over time I started to settle in and felt that I did belong here. I became an artist. I learnt how to paint and to make jewellery and I became someone else – other than just someone with mental health problems.

Before I came to Inkwell I thought I had very little control over my future and my day-to-day life. This was down to my symptoms and how I was feeling. Painting gave me control. I’ve always loved art. I wanted to do it at school but my parents encouraged me in the sciences. I had left it all behind but returning to it, here at Inkwell, feels wonderful.

I’m a volunteer administrator. I’m a creative thinker so I often sit in meetings where we’ll discuss new ideas, new projects and events. I also offer support to fellow volunteers.

I started off with the Leeds Mind Peer Support project four years ago but I’ve always wanted to be part of Inkwell. I did a support group myself here, and it’s such a welcoming, creative environment. I feel very needed and listened to – but not in a demanding way - I feel valued.

I used to run a charity shop before I became ill. Now I write and restore furniture, and I volunteer to do the bar on instrumental music evenings here. It’s an absolute pleasure. Many people are surprised that I volunteer to do such a role when it’s so busy. The fact that I’m unpaid is never an issue to me because it’s such a lovely atmosphere, with great music and great company.

I feel so valued and I need to thank Inkwell for that. Being valued and heard is the first step towards people speaking freely and feeling able to come out of the shell which depression or mental ill health can stealthily build around oneself.

Inkwell has helped my health in an extremely positive way. To me, it means opportunity and acceptance. Even now with mental health’s profile being raised by celebrities, if I share my diagnosis with people they sometimes don’t know what to say and become fidgety. Here that is not the case. We embrace perfection in our imperfection. I not only look forward to coming in I think it’s become very quickly a way of life for me. This is where I want to be.


smilesStrangerand

use!

cut OU

T

Every issue, these pages are dedicated to giving you really simple and easy ways to put a smile on a stranger’s face, and this month we are taking that literally...

beating the winter blues

It’s a well known fact that smiles are infectious. So to help our city fight the winter blues, we are going to leave some smiles in unexpected places. You will be surprised how many everyday objects have a secret grin, just waiting for a pair of eyes.

Here is a hungry post box for some inspiration...

Have fun!

Cold water PanSugar

you will need wheat paste

Wheat PasteDon’t use glue, staples or tape for public places!use this easy to make wheat paste. It is environmentally friendly as it eventually breaks down, and is easier to remove.

hot water1 cup

3 tablespoons 1 tablespoon

flour3 tablespoons

Mix the cold water and flour together to make a smooth paste. In a pan, pour in your hot water. Over a medium heat, slowly add the cold flour paste, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat off when it starts to thicken. Add your sugar, mix well, and leave to cool. Paste underneath to stick, and over the top to make waterproof.

for this project


and use!cut OUT

handsome!Hey

me!Feed

wiresIlove

me!Hug


change small

Kitting yourself out for the winter doesn’t need to cost the earth. Gather your loose coins together and put them to good use

£

1. John lewiS Save The Children Christmas Jumper £25 of each sale goes towards helping children in the poorest parts of the UK.

2. BritiSh heArt FoundAtion Bear BeanieShop from the heart by purchasing one of these.

3. PeoPle tree Penguin Scarf Fair trade fashion made from environmentally-friendly materials.

4. AcceSSorize Navajo & Stripe Capped GlovesShop from a company actively helping farmers in India convert to organic cotton.

5. BrAin tree clothing Bouquet (left) & Indigo (right) socksMade out of 75% sustainable Bamboo!

6. dogAlogue Collie SocksSupport the Guide Dogs charity and buy these for your Dad!

1 £49.00

2 £3 .99

3 £32.00

4 £12.00

5 £4.00

6 £6 .99

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Face to Face

In this edition, we meet Face To Face with the chief executive of Carers Leeds, val Hewison

carers Leeds is the local branch of carers Trust, a national organisation which has 140 independently managed centres across the UK. They offer an information, advice and support service for unpaid voluntary carers from their offices at 6-8 The Headrow in the city centre in addition to 19 support groups based in communities around the city. They have a drop-in centre and facilitate gatherings of carers in a space where the needs of the carer and their cared-for person are embraced in a relaxed and safe space.

The chief executive of carers Leeds is also an unpaid voluntary carer herself. At weekends she travels from Leeds to Newcastle to assist her sister with their shared responsibilities as family carers.

© M

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citizenmagazine.co.uk | 19 citizenmagazine.co.uk | 19

please share with us your assessment of the numbers of people in voluntary caring roles in Leeds.

‘According to the 2011 census, there are 71,000 unpaid family carers in the city. We know there is the need for support, but one of our greatest challenges is getting people to identify themselves as carers. People often see themselves as “just doing what everybody does”. They care for a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, an aunt or uncle.

‘We recognise and embrace that. For some people who can rise to that challenge then it’s marvellous to see. But for many people it’s a struggle. I don’t think we can kid ourselves that with our increasing ageing population and with services being cut, families are taking on a lot of the stress of caring for their loved-ones. So we are here as an organisation to support those family carers; unpaid carers, friends and neighbours who are so integral to the wellbeing of the cared-for person.

‘Our Headrow office has a drop-in service which is always very busy. We have office-based support workers, outreach workers and run various projects from here.’

Is the astonishing figure of 71,000 carers in Leeds the result of a sudden surge in the number of carers?

‘It’s interesting that the number of carers hasn’t increased hugely in recent years. We see it as one-in-10 people in Leeds will have carer’s responsibilities. The biggest change we are seeing is the increase in the number of carers over the age of 50. That’s a huge number of people

who are shoring up the adult social care and health system in this country.

‘It’s an emotive term to call carers “The Hidden Army” but actually it’s what they are. As we speak now, carers are co-ordinating care, feeding and hydrating, washing and dressing and managing the medication for their cared-for person. They offer emotional support and in a lot of cases have to take time off work to juggle their caring role. Many people are happy to do it, but it’s essential to remember that for those in an unpaid, voluntary caring role it can lead to social isolation. After a time, neighbours don’t pop-in, family visit less frequently. If you’re caring for a husband who has dementia – and remember we are seeing larger numbers of people with dementia – then that person is not the person they once were; it’s perfectly understandable that it can all lead to a huge amount of stress to the carer and ultimately will have a knock-on effect on the whole family. We understand the carer’s situation here at Carers Leeds – these things are often not picked-up in everyday life.’

What then do you estimate to be the financial value of care provided by family carers?

‘We know that in the UK the work of unpaid family carers saves the UK economy £119 billion. If they all down tools and said, “I just can’t do this any more…” my worry is for our ageing population. As people struggle to juggle work, family life and caring – for instance elderly parents – people will increasingly believe they are unable to keep working in their own jobs.

‘This changes the finances and dynamics of families in a serious way. It therefore follows that it will also impact the economy nationally. It’s being in such a position to see the potential big picture clearly that fuels my passion to develop our current initiative to work with larger employers in Leeds to explore ways in which we can support carers within the workplace to help them continue to work. Losing part of the skilled, experienced workforce in Leeds because of their responsibilities as carers, will be a loss for employers and the city.

‘So we’re looking at what a flexible hours policy for a carer means. Many carers I meet say their employer operates such a policy, but in reality putting it into practice means something different. Carers in the workplace tell me they feel guilty for placing extra stress on their colleagues with their frequent need for time off. This is something we are continuing to explore.’

Has that been a hard sell for you?‘Many employers we speak to

appreciate the complexities of life as a

It’s an emotive term to call

carers “The Hidden Army” but actually it’s what they are“

WORDS MATT TuLLETT

1 in 10peopLe in Leeds

wiLL hAve cArer’s responsibiLities

Face to Face


..in the uK the work

of unpaid family carers

saves the uK economy

£119 billion

“

carer. I think we’re pushing on an open door – but in many cases it’s how we approach that conversation. We get great support from British Gas, Sainsbury’s, BT and Markel Insurance in the city. They invite us in to do lunchtime briefings along with information stands, especially in call centres, to help managers understand how they can make things better for employees who are carers.

‘We are only one organisation but we do front-line work. We see carers who drop-in, we do one to one support meetings, social events, carers’ support groups. It’s fair to say we are stretched. So we work out how best to use our time with the resources we have in order to provide the very best standard of support when they come to us.’

Over the last decade, how have carers fared in Leeds?

‘I think the awareness of the work carers do has arisen tremendously. Slowly we’ve recognised – and let’s celebrate - that we’re all living longer. But with that has come the idea that we are more dependent on our families and friends to provide, and importantly, to co-ordinate care.

‘We now have a great opportunity before us in Leeds to integrate Health and Social Care; to work amongst various organisations and remind them to work with us in the voluntary sector. In the future the patient and the carer will no longer have the situation where different people from different organisations are walking up the same garden path. Care will be co-ordinated and the patient should be empowered in how best to manage their condition and care. If the patient gets a better service then it follows there should be a reduction in the number of admissions and re-admissions to hospitals. The system should look at both the patient and the carer as a recipient of services as a whole. The vital part of this new model is the carer who will often be the one co-ordinating the service the patient receives. We’re already seeing some great work in Leeds in how Health and Social Care is working together. It’s a very different way of working because it brings together different cultures but it’s already evident to see that the will to make this work is there. The new Commissioning Groups are very different to the old Primary Care Trusts in how they will be delivering services. Adult Social Care has been hit by substantial cuts, so we should ask, how do we shore up social care to ensure that the recipient of services is the focus in the middle and how do we integrate care successfully around that person?

‘For me, one of the important things of

working with Adult Social Care and Health – and we have good working relationships – is to keep stressing that just as an early medical diagnosis for people can deliver preventative support to patients; early advice and support for the carer can prevent a later crisis.’

In light of that, have you now seen culture shift where voluntary carers are increasingly accepted and valued by healthcare professionals?

‘I think carers are beginning to be recognised as vital, expert partners in understanding the needs of the patient. To enable our carers to continue to care, we must look after them. We do still see people who are in crisis with their caring commitments, either after many years or those who have become carers literally overnight. They find themselves in a very different position say, for example, if their loved one has had a stroke or a road traffic accident, life can change suddenly and dramatically. With increasing awareness I think there is now respect for carers within the adult social care and health system. It’s a principle and saying of mine to speak truth to power. Although we’re not campaigning, I’m not one to miss an opportunity, I will speak up to raise awareness of the value of unpaid carers.

‘I’m passionate about the third sector. The work they do is absolutely brilliant – there are pockets of people doing brilliant work which all goes toward helping an individual. So it’s important to get the message out to decision makers and people of influence across the city that the third sector plays a huge part in assisting people to manage their own care.

‘I also think that a well-informed and supported carer will continue to care and the timeliness of invention is key.

‘I’m delighted to announce a new project where we will have care support workers based in GPs’ surgeries. It great for someone in a surgery to see somebody there and then, rather than going home with just a leaflet. We’re working with clinical commissioning groups to achieve this.

‘It’s vital at this time to look at things differently, to be innovative to make sure our message of support gets out there.

‘I’m convinced families want to do the very best for the person they care for. I embrace what carers do – they do a fantastic job to support our health and social care system. Carers should be considered with their own rights, aspirations and health and family needs. We as a society should give them recognition.’

discover w

hat is happ

ening in yo

ur local area


roundhAy wi

Roundhay Women’s Institute runs a wide range of activities and social groups including museum

visits, theatre trips, craft workshops, walks and talks.

Members find that they make friends and have fun and are able to take part in discussions on local, national and international issues. With the regular speakers and events members learn and develop new skills.

Next year the National AGM is going to be held in the Leeds Arena so Leeds will be alive with WI Ladies from all over Britain!

Roundhay WI meets on the second Thursday each month at St Andrew’s Church hall on Shaftesbury Avenue Leeds LS8 1DS.

telephone: 0113 2933772 email: [email protected]

roundhAy Live

Roundhay Live seeks to increase the strength and vibrancy of the local community by enabling

local organisations to connect with one another.

Roundhay Live provides a platform via a dedicated web page on About My Area to communicate events of interest to the wider Roundhay community. They also offer use of a stall at the Oakwood Farmers Market which local groups can use to showcase their activities. From time to time they have organised large scale community wide events to promote local organisations and introduce them to the Roundhay public.

[email protected]

oAKwood fArMers MArKet

First held on 15th March 2008, the Oakwood Farmers Market is organised by local residents. The first

project of the Roundhay Environmental Action Project

(REAP), the market is operated by REAP Trading Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of REAP.

The market is held on the third Saturday of each month from 9am to 12.30pm at Oakwood Clock. There is always a huge variety of regular stalls selling local produce ranging from organic vegetables to beautiful handmade chocolates. With guest stalls ranging from community interest groups to exciting produce such as local honey, homemade sausage rolls and beautiful soft cheeses. To find out more and to apply for a stall, visit:

www.oakwoodfarmersmarket.com

otrA

Oakwood Traders and Residents Association (OTRA) aims to improve the Oakwood area for all who

live, work and study in this lovely leafy suburb of Leeds.

One of the main ways to achieve these aims is to raise funds towards renovating the Oakwood clock tower because of its great significance to the area.

The campaign has the support of many local organisations, including Leeds Civic Trust, Roundhay Environmental Action Project and the Friends of Roundhay Park.

OTRA has now been granted charity status. This will have several advantages and will help to maximise the rewards from fundraising activities. The Association is also in discussion with Leeds City Council over obtaining up-to-date estimates for the renovation work.

www.oakwoodtra.org

reAp

Roundhay Environmental Action Project (REAP) is a community organisation and charity born out of the

concern of local residents who wanted to take positive

action to tackle environmental issues and live more sustainably.

REAP promote practical local action on climate change and the environment, having created special interest groups on the themes of Energy, Gardening, Transport and Events and Information. And it runs the monthly Oakwood Farmer’s Market through its trading arm.

REAP hold events promoting environmental awareness including their recent Green Fair, and produce a regular e-bulletin. New members are welcome!

find out more or become a member: www.reap-leeds.org.uk

oAKwood cLocK restorAtion

The Clock was originally sited in the Leeds Kirkgate market, from 1908 until 1913. During a redesign

of the market area, it was moved to Oakwood. This year

it will celebrate its 100th birthday in its present location, but in a sorry condition.

It is thought that the last major renovation was carried out in the 1970s. Internal metal supports are rusting through, and the outside appearance is deteriorating. The most recent estimate of repair costs is around £120,000. As well as renovating the clock, they want to start a trust fund to maintain it in the long term.

The condition of the clock means action needs to be taken quickly.

To show your support and to get involved, visit www.oakwoodclock.co.uk or email

[email protected]

roundhay

areafocusd

iscover what is hap

pening

in your lo

cal area

This month’s Area Focus is about the vibrant north Leeds Area of Roundhay and Oakwood. With the help of Fran Etherington, editor of the online community magazine About My Area, www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/ls8, we discover more about the groups making this part of Leeds such a great place to be.



what is street Angels?We are a Christian project helping to make Leeds city centre a safer place at night. Our ethos is care, compassion and safety, offering practical help for anyone who might need it. how did you personally get involved in street Angels?I saw a posting online on a church website 18 months ago to come along to a training night, I loved it and I kept going. is the project unique to Leeds?Street Angels started in Halifax around July 2005 and has grown to 122 projects across the UK and Spain, Ibiza and Tenerife. We are part of the Christian Nightlife Initiatives (CNI) that includes

Street Angels, Street Pastors and Street Chaplains. The Leeds Street Angels project has been going since January 2012.

what are the main ways you help people on a night out?I guess the main help we provide is being a visible presence in the city centre. We make sure people who have been on a night out and perhaps are separated from friends get home safely. Our priority is to make sure potentially vulnerable people are cared for. We also give out free flip-flops to people in bare feet, usually females out of heels ensuring they do not cut their feet on broken glass. We also hand out bottles of water to people and lollipops to doorstaff. One concern that people face in this and other cities is theft of property, particularly mobile phones. Sadly the spiking of drinks does happen sometimes, however both Street Angels and PCSOs hand out spikeys to people, which can be put in the neck of a bottle to prevent anything unwanted being placed in your drink. when do you volunteer?We are out every Friday night from 10pm until 3am. You have to be reasonably fit as you might walk five or six miles on patrol.

It’s not really tiring as there is always something going on and people to talk to.

what are your top tips for a safe night out?People should stick together, keep an eye on their private property like bags and phones, look after their drinks and look out for each other. Being polite to doorstaff is always a good idea when you are out as they want you to have a safe and fun night too! have you had any difficult or amusing incidents?We always have fun on patrol and people show us real warmth, sometimes being photographed with lots of really interesting conversations in the most unlikely situations. Last January in the deep snow added an extra challenge as well! In terms of difficult things, if an incident happens or is happening it is our job to be the best witnesses we can be, and then once the police arrive, we stay around to help if we can.

can anyone volunteer?As long as you are over 18 and reasonably fit and able to walk around five miles in the city centre then you can volunteer.

We chat to Ian young to get the lowdown on a group of volunteers working for a safer Leeds nightlife

www.leedsstreetangels.org.uk | facebook: street Angels Leeds | twitter: @LdsstreetAngels

Street Angels

WORDS SIMON O’HARE



nce again, the media is talking about a housing boom. House prices are apparently going up

and up – which may be good news for some but not so good news for anyone already struggling to get on the ladder. But a pioneering new scheme right here in Leeds offers a truly alternative way of doing things.

LILAC, which stands for Low Impact Living Affordable Community, is an eco housing development on the border of Bramley and Kirkstall. It comprises 20 homes of varying sizes, from one-bed flats up to four-bedroom houses, with

the aim of minimising its environmental impact while creating a safe and community-minded environment for its members.

The environmental benefits are clear. The timber buildings, constructed with local materials, are “super-insulated” with straw bales and are designed to store up solar heat in winter and reject it in summer. The members’ way of life further lessens the scheme’s carbon footprint, through various activities like growing their own food and car sharing.

LILAC member Jenny March has realised a long-held dream to live in an eco house and although she’d experienced a housing cooperative before, she has found this quite a contrast from the draughty Victorian terraces she was accustomed to. “I think Paul, who lives in the four-bed, says his heating bill in

This award-winning eco housing co-operative in west Leeds shows there’s an alternative to the conventional housing ladder. Simon o’Hare calls in to find out more

is the new greenLiLAc

DIMAgES MATT TuLLETT

a normal four-bed would be about £1000 a year and here it’ll be more like £200,” she says. “We moved in in May and we’ve had the heating on for maybe seven hours in total between then and now. Depending on the day at 10 in the evening I might put the heating on for half an hour or so if I’m a bit cold.”

Jenny holds down two jobs as a project administrator at an artists’ studio and as a support worker for deaf-blind women. She’s enjoyed settling in since moving into LILAC, especially given the huge amount of work everyone had to put in just to get the scheme up and running. “A lot of things we were not really prepared for because we were all lay people, so employing builders and things like that and applying for funding,” she says. “We had some people who had to drop out for different reasons and we were a bit scared about filling the last houses because the finances wouldn’t work, but it was all ok in the end and the last people joined last summer.”

Now everyone’s settled in, what’s life like on a day to day basis and how does it compare to living on a conventional street? “Because it’s co-housing, community’s been made part of the design. So in a typical week I’ll see the majority of people here, which is nice. We have shared meals twice a week where people sign up to do the cooking and cleaning, but you don’t have to go. I think at the moment I go to about half of them; this week I’m going to both but it just depends on the times. There’s one at the weekend and the weekday one is always an evening meal, which is nice to have when you come home. The person decides what to cook based on what everybody can eat – there’s vegan people, wheat-free people and we’re kind of developing a repertoire of dishes.

“We also have a general meeting every six weeks and what we call task teams, which are working groups, like we had a common house temporary task team to get it nice in here when we moved in, then there’s others such as the landscape team, food team, maintenance, finance, and we’ve also been doing non-violent communication training.” One of

those task teams, Jenny points out, is focused on working with the wider community outside LILAC and the development has already opened its doors to locals for special events and there is a “pocket park” on site where non-members are welcome to call in.

LILAC has a wide spread of ages and occupations among its residents, from babies to 70-somethings, from medics, teachers and an actor through to a councillor, a retired probation officer and an academic or two. Avelino Manuel, a biomedical support worker, says a big pull for him and his wife was the chance for their two young children to grow up in a safe and community minded environment. “My wife and I found the project really interesting, especially as it seemed the right place to raise our children. So I suppose it was our children first, and then the sense of community. We know our neighbours, we share our things and share our childcare, giving support to all of our neighbours and working as a team in the community.”

Avelino enjoyed living in another part of Bramley before moving to LILAC, but he remembers how a sense of community could get lost at times. “We had little chance to speak with each other,” he says of his old neighbourhood, “just to say hello and good morning. Everything was closed, so we were neighbours but we didn’t get to talk.” Does LILAC meet his expectations? “It’s much better than I expected. The kids have space to run and the chance to play with other kids. And the area’s perfect. Not far from Kirkstall, not far from the canal and for transport into Leeds.”

On the subject of how much the kids love living here, Jenny laughs that they were having so much fun in the early days it presented a bit of a challenge for their parents at the end of a day. “The kids just run around all the time in a pack,” she says. “The parents had trouble at first as they had to synchronise bedtime as the kids never wanted to go home and get back in the house when they knew their little friend was right there! But yes, it’s very nice for them. And if I’m outside,

35%

of net incoMe is pAid by eAch

MeMber.

As it is LinKed to AverAge eArnings,

it reMAins AffordAbLe

forever



someone can ask you to keep an eye on the kids for a second and I’ve also done a little bit of babysitting.”

As a mutual home ownership society, LILAC is one of a kind in the uK. “You own shares equivalent to a house but you do not own a house, and we all pay 35% of our net income each month,” says Jenny. “It’s basically aimed at people who can afford to rent but not afford to buy, although not everybody here was in that situation. And it’s linked to average earnings, so it remains affordable forever.

“Because at a lot of co-housing communities in America it’s owner occupied and as soon as someone moves

out they become very expensive, because it’s a lovely place to live. We all pay a monthly contribution, which is 35% unless you’ve paid off all your equity shares equivalent to the build costs of your house and then you pay 10%, so it’s like a mortgage. So if you move out you get the money back that you put in, minus the interest, and your shares go back to the society. And then the next person takes on the shares but they don’t have to earn the same amount as you, it’s just as long as the incomes balance across the scheme.”

As the housing bubble grows and pops and grows and pops in the wider world,

this little oasis in the heart of urban Leeds is set to remain a haven that shows it’s possible to do things differently. As you stroll around the beautiful environment it somehow has the feel of a village within a city: you’re standing within this little green patch, its distinctive buildings alongside its allotments, above all else a communal way of life, while the small bright lights of the city centre flicker in the distance. By coming together, the members of this co-operative have made things happen – and they’ve not only shaped their local environment on their own doorstep, they’ve sowed the seeds for something much bigger.

because it’s co-housing, community’s been made part of the designJenny MArch, LiLAc MeMber


Volunteer opportunites managed by voluntary action leeds

volu

nte

ertrusteeorganisation:Oblong has successfully taken over the management of Woodhouse Community Centre and has ensured increased use of the building by the community. They are currently seeking new trustees with experience in one or more of the following areas:•Fundraising•Local residents’ issues and

needs in the Hyde Park and Woodhouse areas of Leeds

•Human resources•Marketing and business

management•Charity law•A passion for community

development

This is an exciting time to join Oblong as they respond to growing demand for services, and implement new volunteer led projects. The Board currently includes representatives from the local community, students’ unions, mental health and other charity backgrounds.

Areas of interest:Education and literacy, employment, environment, families, race and ethnicity and refugees

contact:duncAn MillArd0113 [email protected]

We hope you’ve found snippets of inspiration within the pages of Citizen — and that this magazine has shown Leeds is full of amazing people.

why not be one of them? there are plenty of opportunities out there!

we make a living

by what we get, but we make a life by

what we give

winsTon churchill


for full details, visit them at 2 great george street, Leeds Ls2 8bA | 0113 395 0405 | www.val.org.uk

EsoL teacher beginners Groupopportunity:Armley Primary School is working with a number of Eastern European families, mainly Polish, to support language and cultural integration. They are now looking for a volunteer to deliver regular ESOL classes to a group of beginner level parent students.

Areas of interest:Mentoring

contact:JoAnnA KloPoteK0113 263 [email protected]

Administrator/Receptionistorganisation:Ebor gardens Advice Centre provide debt advice and casework service to the public to Advice Quality Standard (AQS). They provide an advice-at-home service to those over 60 years of age who live in the area. Through their unique Money Buddy project, they empower clients to manage their financial matters. Volunteers are central to providing their services, including advice, form-filling and money buddy support through a volunteering programme. They welcome volunteers from all sections of the community, provide extensive training and reimburse reasonable travel costs.

opportunity:Your role will involve carrying out reception and general admin tasks. This is a good role for improving your administration skills working with a small and friendly team while meeting a wide range of people.

Areas of interest:Elderly, families

contact:tAJ Ali0113 235 0276 / 0113 249 [email protected]

Volunteer supporterorganisation:Behind Closed Doors provides outreach (emotional and practical) support to women who are, or have, experienced domestic abuse, meeting in their homes or other safe locations; raises awareness of the issues; provides training to volunteers and professionals in the community.

opportunity:An opportunity to be part of Behind Closed Doors in their Preventative, Pro-Active Service (PPS) which is a volunteer-led project providing emotional and low-level practical support to women throughout the Leeds district whose lives have been affected by domestic abuse. Your support will help them to heal, improve their confidence, enable them to understand and learn from their experience and increase their future safety.

Areas of interest:Domestic violence

contact:JAne thow0113 222 [email protected]

sikh Elders service trusteeorganisation:Befriending an older person from Sikh and South Asian culture on a one to one basis either in their homes or in the community. We would welcome volunteers who are Panjabi speaking and have a good knowledge of Panjabi culture.

Areas of interest:Elderly

contact:AMrit KAur0113 271 [email protected]

gillian neamewho do you volunteer for?OPAL (Older People’s Action in the Locality)

why did you start volunteering? I gave up work because I was very unhappy in my job, but I found I had too much time on my hands and decided I needed something to do.

what’s a typical day like?There isn’t a typical day, but every Friday I help at an OPAL coffee afternoon at a local community centre. We greet the members as they arrive, assisting any that need it. We chat to the members until the activity starts. There is a different activity each week – games, quizzes, singing and dancing, or a talk. I assist with serving tea and biscuits and clearing up afterwards. My co-volunteers are lovely, friendly people, so there is plenty of chit-chat and this isn’t a chore. It is very busy, but again there is plenty of witty repartee going on so it is fun.I occasionally do a bit of driving, either to OPAL activities or to Medical appointments. The members are always extremely grateful for our help.

what’s the best thing about volunteering with this organisation?OPAL do a wonderful job of improving the quality of life for many elderly people in the area. I feel that I help with that, if only in a small way.

what have you got out of volunteering? I have made lots of new friends, both among the OPAL members and also other volunteers and the paid staff. It has given me back a sense of worth and made me feel useful.

what would you say to someone thinking about volunteering?Definitely go for it!

volunteer profile:



n April 2013, a group of 10 people from Leeds went on a journey to Israel and the Palestinian territories. Nothing exceptional in that, you might think

– except this was a mixed group of Muslims and Jews travelling together. “Basically we didn’t know each other before,” says group member Imran Arif, “but Mike Love of the charity Together for Peace and a few people like Linda Mitchell wanted to respond to what they’d heard people from

both communities say about wanting to build bridges across the different communities.” Fellow group member Lawrence glyn says there was an initial one-off event at the university union back in 2005 involving different community groups and then Mike, along with members of the Muslim communities and Yaakov Atik from the Sinai Synagogue in Leeds, had the idea of bringing people together to see who would be interested in going on this journey. Most of the

ii

We refuse to be enemies

We hear what happened when a group of Jewish and muslim people from Leeds travelled together to Israel and the Palestinian territoriesWORDS SIMON O’HARE

IMAgES LAWRENCE gLYN

Left: Lawrence, Saiqa & Imran 'bridging the gap' with the Tent of Nations Hilltop in the background


people who came said their real concern was how Jewish and Muslim people related to each other here, in Leeds, and this wider group continues to meet and do things together.

Imran and Lawrence remember how any perceived barriers dissolved straight away. “It’s a little stupid thing really,” Lawrence laughs, “but there were two women in our group talking during one of our meetings at the Hamara Centre in Beeston, when they realised they both had these funny thumbs with a bulbous round end. up until then I don’t think they’d realised there were other people with the same thumbs! I’ve never thought of it since then, but it just breaks down everything. You are just like me. You are just like me; I am just like you.”

That feeling of common ground, of a small world, was also highlighted to Imran as he found he really connected with a Jewish lady at an early meeting – she was a retired teacher, also his profession, and it turned out she’d been good friends many years ago with the

landlady of his house in Headingley. Just little things, but examples of how the simplest act of getting to know someone from another walk of life has a knack for emphasising links rather than differences.

Imran says Israel and Palestine was “the contentious issue” that the wider group was unable to get over but, the funny thing was, if you asked them what they knew about it they would rehash ideas or prejudices they’d heard through the media or family. “And I think it’s in both our traditions, I know it is in Islam

at least, you don’t really know anybody until you’ve travelled with them or until you’ve done business with them. So I’m not a businessman, right, but I’m more than willing to have a good old trek. So we got to know each other and went through some amazingly emotional and real times.” Lawrence, for his part, had also long wanted to focus on common ground – he studied Arabic at university “because in my mind if you want to make peace with your neighbour, you learn to speak a common language” – and it all just seemed to come together with this kind of shared experience, this learning journey.

The emotional impact of the trip was such that only now are they starting to digest the stories they heard, the people they met. “The best way to describe the journey is a shift happening,” Imran says. “We visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum ‘Yad Vashem’ and the person who gave us the tour gave a very set narrative and had very strong views about the Holocaust. She was surprised

we were a mixed group of Muslims and Jews. She was called Miriam and then there was a lady in our group called Maryam, who is training to be a human rights lawyer, so it’s Miriam and Maryam! And by the end of the conversation she said, ‘do you know what it is?’ – this was Miriam, she was from America – she said, ‘I don’t know what it is, but something’s beginning to shift inside me’. She said: ‘Maybe you’ve turned a switch in my head’.”

Shifts were also taking place within the group. Imran and one of the Jewish travellers noticed how Israelis never said the word Palestine, “always just the West Bank or the occupied territories or whatever – and this felt like a dehumanising thing, like

not acknowledging the right of people to have that land or even to have an identity”. Imran says his fellow traveller said that from now on she’d always refer to Palestine and Palestinians “because they should have a right to be who they want to be”.

There’s no getting away from the fact the group experienced some heartbreaking scenes on their trip, with Lawrence admitting it would be “very easy” to return to Leeds feeling angry and despondent. “undoubtedly, there are serious complexities to the issue of

the simplest act of getting to know someone from another walk of life has a knack for emphasising links rather than differences

Nativ L’Shalom - Way to Peace

The young bedouin boys played with Shakeel


Holding the Artwork high at the small bedouin village of Umm-al-Khair in the South Hebron hills

Lawrence adds to the Peace mosiac at an Israeli moshav (cooperative village) bordering Gaza


security for Israel within the Middle East and consequently issues that are almost too hard for us to really grasp. However, there are lots of things - going to the Bedouin camps and seeing and hearing how they’ve been treated because of how the Israeli settlements have been set up – that are heartbreaking. And when you’re there, and certainly when you’re given the story and you see how one group are treated, it feels very wrong. There is that story in lots of different places.” And yet he came back with a feeling of hope that the basic good in ordinary people will prevail. Along with the rest of the group he is now planning to share his experiences with people in Leeds to help encourage this spirit of unity and they have already spoken at one school with other speaking engagements in the pipeline, so the positive impact of their journey will grow through the city of Leeds.

Lawrence reflects on the subject of hope: “When we went to visit Daoud, a Palestinian Christian who runs the Tent of Nations, for me he was the person who had the most hope by far. He also, for me, had almost the biggest reason to have no hope and just to despair at how he’d been treated.” Lawrence and Imran explain how Daoud lives on a patch of land on a hill that has been increasingly

surrounded by three growing settlements and isolated by security measures of the Israeli government, which has taken him through the courts many times over the past 27 years in a systematic attempt to take the land. But Daoud owns a document through which his grandfather had registered the land with the Ottoman government of the time and then signed over the land to him and his siblings, and this has always proved crucial to his case. Nevertheless, his life has been made extremely difficult in many ways and for a long time.

“He had a few phrases that I’ve really held on to,” Lawrence says. “One of them being, as we were walking together, he’d painted a rainbow over a boulder, and it just said “I REFuSE TO BE YOuR ENEMY, I WILL ALWAYS EMBRACE YOu”. And actually that has just gone right to my core, in all sorts of things. I’ve really taken that in. I refuse to be your enemy.”

There will be an opportunity to hear more about the Learning Journey Group’s experiences, on monday December 16th, 7-9pm, at the St. George’s Centre, Great George Street, LS1 3BR. If you would like to attend, please RSvP by email to: [email protected]

...if you want to make peace with your neighbour, you learn to speak a common language


Looking towards Gaza

from Sderot, the group

pray for peace

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