By Fran Graham
Armley Action Team CIC, a volunteer-run community initiative, is opening a charity shop for local 0-18 year olds on Saturday.
The shop, focussed on giving local babies and young people a good start in life, will be making good ‘re-use’ of people’s unwanted baby equipment, toys, games and clothes.
A grand opening event will celebrate the launch of ‘Bundles’ on Saturday, 4 February, from 12-4pm, offering members of the public the chance to shop, listen to local musicians, and enjoy free tea and cake at Units 11-13 Gelder Road, Armley, LS12 3HU (behind Town Street).
Armley Action Team has adopted three small units on Gelder Road in order to help Armley residents to have a better quality of life.
Units 11-13, ‘Bundles’ (formerly the Owls Nest) will provide affordable second-hand items for 0-18 year olds.
Unit 9 has been earmarked as a space for a community larder & baby bank. Unit 2 is now Armley Action Team’s office with hot-desking facilities for local groups and organisations, and meeting space for community and voluntary groups, who are welcome to use the space if they can pay in time, by volunteering the equivalent hours at Bundles.
The units have been leased from Leeds City Council on a peppercorn rent, thanks to support from the community asset management team and the local communities team at LCC. Footwork Trust (The People & Place Fund) has provided a grant to help Armley Action Team to turn the three spaces into community resources.
Bundles will open on Wednesdays and Saturdays 10-4pm, with the hope of opening more days each week by March.
Volunteers are needed in the shop to help sort donations, display stock and serve customers. Volunteer drivers are needed to collect donations. Armley Action Team is also reaching out to people in areas across Leeds who could be a donation drop-off point for people living nearby.
Young people aged 14-18 are encouraged to volunteer on Saturdays, when they will receive full training and local travel expenses to gain valuable work experience, get involved in community development activity, and make new friends.
Anyone wishing to volunteer or offer a donation drop-off point can contact armleyactionteam@gmail.com or drop in during shop opening hours.
Louise Megson, Chair of Armley Action Team’s Board said: “Bundles can help lots of local children and young people to get a good start in life, and reduce waste going to landfill.
“We hope that residents across the city will be inspired to donate equipment and clothes they no longer need, to help combat the rising costs of living that are impacting our young people. Come and see Bundles as soon as you can, and if you live in Armley come and get involved – we need you!”
Armley Action Team has worked on a range of successful local events since 2019, including Armley Festival, Armley in Bloom and The Spring Market on Town Street.
They are working with the Urban Taskforce volunteers from New Wortley Community Centre to install and maintain flowering planters on Town Street.
