By Jill Stocks
A Horsforth shop organised a range of activities and initiatives, in collaboration with other local organisations and businesses, to celebrate International Women’s Day.
The Leeds Women’s Aid shop worked with New Road Side business neighbours Hoc Loco and Zero Muda, and with Horsforth Climate Action, to present a number of events and activities to mark the day.
A special window display was also created by volunteers and a display of specially selected women’s literature took pride of place in the book section.
Anna Bragger is retail manager for Leeds Women’s Aid and told us more about what was going on.
“We have had one event already, last night we did a wine pairing event with Hoc Loco next door,” Anna said. “Women who attended were invited to bring along gifts for the women in refuge and we made up some little care packages. It was all female led wineries. We had a great night.
“We are also working in partnership with Zero Muda over the road on New Road Side. We have a recipe book and they have made up a recipe kit from one of those recipes and they’re going to donate two pounds from every sale to Leeds Women’s Aid.”
Ali Pyner, manager at Zero Muda, told us more about the recipe book and their involvement with the project.
“This recipe is from the Holding Warmth recipe book that women’s aid have put together from people who are staying in their refuges,” Ali said.
“We’ve chosen a recipe where we have most of the ingredients and we’ve measured everything out so people can just grab the kit then they can just add the chicken and a few other ingredients and it’s got the method on the back.”
“Two pounds from the kit is going towards Leeds Women’s Aid as a donation.
“They approached us about selling the book in the store. And everyone, all the businesses in this area, are quite friendly with each other. We suggested, because we already do recipe kits of our own, that it would be nice to feature one of their recipes as part of that.”
On Saturday morning a clothes swap was held at the Old Kings Arms on Town Street, in collaboration with Horsforth Climate Action, using the theme of this year’s IWD, “Give to Gain”.
There was also an upcycling workshop led by Jax Temple-Smees, who also works similarly with Leeds Hospitals Charity, who is well known in the community for her handiwork.
As well as the International Women’s Day events general fundraising and awareness work continues in the community as always.
Anna said:
“Leeds Women’s Aid are working with people out there fundraising for us that are doing donation drives and bringing along lots of donations for the women and children in our refuge accommodation.”
Also starting this week is a production of Carousel at Yeadon Town Hall by Yeadon Theatre Company, who have chosen Leeds Women’s Aid as their chosen charity for the production.
The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical features a storyline on domestic violence in the relationship between characters Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan.
The production runs from Tuesday 10th March to Friday 14th and tickets are available from Ticket Source.
You can pick up a Leeds Women’s Aid Holding Warmth recipe book from the shop on New Road Side, as well as from Zero Muda, where the recipe kits are available.
Ten limited edition wrapped copies, with a bouquet of dried flowers created by Arranging Flowers, are also available in the shop.
The recipe book, which was launched in December and features a range of recipes, is available for a suggested donation of £10, would make a thoughtful Mothers Day gift while supporting a local charity.
Beer we go
Recently a group of Horsforth women collaborated on a beer for International Women’s Day with Horsforth Brewery and chose Leeds Women’s Aid as their chosen charity.
The finished product, a 6.8% brew named Fermentress, is available on draught and in cans from Horsforth Brewery, with a donation from sales of the beer to Leeds Women’s Aid.
If you’d like to get involved with Leeds Women’s Aid, as a shop volunteer or in fundraising, or perhaps you have a donation of items for the shop or the refuge, check the website for details of how to get in touch.
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