Some HUGE news: we've successfully purchased a new office and community space to continue our work, 29 years after first setting up in the city.
Our new home in Harehills, Leeds, is a milestone achievement for us in our work supporting members of the Irish and wider Leeds communities to live healthier, more independent lives.
The new premises are on the site of the former Broom Hill Centre and consist of office space, community rooms and an outdoor space with the potential to become a community garden. We have plans to develop the building so that many of our services, which currently take place in rented spaces across the city, can be brought together under one roof.
“At LIHH, we know the importance of having a place to call home,” said Ant Hanlon, LIHH’s Chief Executive. “Purchasing this site gives us the long-term security we need to continue and expand our work. We are extremely grateful to Connect Housing with whom we have worked successfully for nearly 30 years for making this possible and we’re excited to start the next part of our story.”
Rachael Loftus MBE, Chair of LIHH, said: “After 29 years’ work in this city, it’s wonderful to have a place of our own at last. As an organisation, we will continue to work across the city, but it will be fantastic to have a home base with space for us to build and grow from. We are proud of the work we do, and this will help to make sure we’re here to support people for many years to come.”
Helen Lennon, Chief Executive of Connect Housing, said “Connect Housing aims to support community partners and initiatives in Leeds and West Yorkshire as part of our strong social purpose. We are delighted to have been able to find a valuable long-term community use for the property and support LIHH in their work at the same time.”
LIHH was established in 1996 to offer support to vulnerable members of the Leeds Irish community. Today, we run a wide range of culturally-sensitive services plus regular activities and events to help tackle loneliness, improve health and celebrate the vibrant Leeds Irish culture. Our work includes a supported housing service, one to one support, weekly luncheon clubs, digital inclusion work and much more.
In the coming weeks, we will focus on relocating from our current office and settling staff and community members into our new premises to be ready to host our annual St Patrick’s Day festivities.
Ant Hanlon added: “And we have even more reason to celebrate this year!”
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