By John Baron
The work of volunteers to set up a repair cafe in Horsforth has been highlighted in a city-wide report.
Case studies include the journey of Caroline Tomes, who used a Small Sparks (seed money to kick start ideas) grant to launch the Horsforth Repair Cafe, which provides a safe space where people from the local community can come to get different items repaired from professional fixers to hobbyists, but also stay for a hot drink, socialise and meet new people.
Such has been the success of the repair cafe, Caroline – a member of Horsforth Climate Action – has supported the opening of similar repair cafes in different communities.
She said: “We’ve also helped to start the ball rolling on some other repair cafes because we have done such a great job. We’re actually the leading cafe in Leeds and so we’ve helped to set up the Pudsey Cafe and other cafes because people have seen that it works and through that they’ve been inspired to take action themselves.”
They estimate to have helped over 500 people in their first year – 2023 – providing advice, and often being able to fix and mend the item for them.
The findings come in a new review detailing the impact of a pioneering asset-based community development programme in Leeds over a six-year period.
Featuring in ‘A review of ABCD in Leeds pathfinder sites (2019 -2025) A six-year journey from seeds to trees’, are the experiences of key stakeholders at six ‘Pathfinder’ sites across Leeds who have worked with the community to develop an ABCD approach.
The review also includes details of the positive impacts experienced by residents who have been part of the approach, and the positive ripple effect which ABCD projects have provided for the communities in which they live.
The six Pathfinder sites featured in the year six review included:
- Better Action for Families (BAFF).
- Horsforth Community Assets Project (HCAP).
- LS14 Trust.
- Older People’s Action in the Locality (OPAL).
- St Luke’s Cares.
- Touchstone.
Since 2013, the ABCD in Leeds programme has played an important role in working with local people to lead on and make the changes they wish to see in the communities where they live.
The ABCD model is based on focusing on what is strong in an area, working with people, building on social connections, and unlocking potential. People feel empowered to share their skills, knowledge, gifts, and ideas with each other, which in turn has encouraged different types of social-led action.
The key findings of the review include:
- The ABCD Pathfinder sites have proved a catalyst to improving the health and wellbeing of people living there, strengthening social action, and the unlocking ‘assets’ of those areas.
- Connections between diverse communities have become deeply embedded through ABCD work – helping to build true meaningful friendships, and a sense of pride, fulfilment, and ownership of where they live.
- ABCD initiatives have led to positive ripple effects in communities. Groups and residents involved in ABCD work have been inspired to, for example, take over community assets, promote skills-based learning and create Community Interest Companies and intergenerational projects.
- The six Pathfinder sites offered a SROI return of £36.90 for every £1 invested through ABCD. The revised SROI study suggests funding the ABCD model is a very cost-effective investment to support prevention, build sustainable community infrastructure and support the social wide determinates of health.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles, and culture, said: “The findings of the review are extremely interesting and really do highlight the difference asset-based approaches can have on the lives of residents and communities.
“Everything we have learned will help inform and shape how we deliver ABCD in Leeds in the future, and on a final note, I would like to offer a huge thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and contributed to the review.”
To read the review, please see: ABCD Year Six Review
To find out more about ABCD in Leeds, please see: www.abcdinleeds.com
- More Horsforth news and views from WLD can be found here.
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