The day King Charles III was told about challenges facing communities in Leeds

Hosted by one of our key supporters, Leeds Building Society, Holbeck Together was joined by five other local charities who, day in day out, are coming across people who are facing real problems caused by the cost-of-living crisis.

The round table meeting was an opportunity for us to share with The King, some direct insights into what the current situation is like in communities such as Holbeck. The meeting was linked with financial services representation in the city and our presence was a living

example of how businesses in Leeds commit and support our local communities on an ongoing basis.

In our own case, since 2017, Leeds Building Society have supported our charity by providing office space at The Old Box Office from which we can provide our services. They have also annually supported us with food collections, Christmas present drives and other fundraising

initiatives. Their support of our work, services and activities needs to be applauded and so it was a great opportunity to speak directly to The King to explain about everything we do to support our community.

Last week was also a major milestone for Holbeck Together as we marked 30 years of supporting and working with our local community. We are acutely aware of the challenges that face many people in Leeds at the moment due to the cost of living crisis – because we

see the impact on people’s lives everyday.

In meeting His Majesty, I gave a very stark representation of what it is like for people living in areas such as Holbeck – the choices people must make between basics such as food, clothing and heating. The health, employment and housing challenges many face on a day-

to-day basis are very real. The King was particularly interested to hear about our Social Supermarket initiative and the way in which organisations like ours are responding to the need for warm spaces. His Majesty was also very interested to hear how local businesses

continue to help those charities and organisations who are on the frontline of supporting struggling households with the cost of living crisis.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had obvious impacts on the city’s economy, exacerbating the deep-rooted inequalities that exist within our communities. There are also growing safeguarding

concerns and increasing mental health issues for many local residents.

So, last week was a significant milestone for Holbeck Together. It was one of representation to the country’s most significant leader, followed by an opportunity to come together as a community and acknowledge our activity in the area over the last 30 years.

As we move forward, we’d like to offer our sincere thanks to businesses in Leeds, both large and small, for their ongoing support to charities such as ours – we cannot offer the support we do without them.

Our commitment to being the community hub for all generations of Holbeck is unwavering – we are a safe and a warm place, as well as a space for people to connect, grow and thrive. Our continued collaboration with businesses, partners and statutory services gives us the support and confidence that we can make a significant difference to people’s lives in an ever-changing landscape, when, or where, it’s needed the most.

By Elissa Newman, Chief Officer, Holbeck Together.