HOLBECK TOGETHER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive, Touchstone
During lockdown we launched our first Wellbeing pack in partnership with Your Space, to provide those shielding with advice and activities at home. If you are interested in receiving a pack yourself, or know of someone who would benefit from one, please give us a call on 0113 245 5553 or drop us an email at admin@holbecktogether.org.
Now more than ever we need to invest in our health, both physically and mentally. The groups are one way you can boost your health as they build on the five ways to wellbeing - connecting, keeping active, learning new things, giving to others and being present (mindfulness). If you'd like to learn more about wellbeing, check out YourSpace's groups and events, or if you have an interest in setting up a group with their support contact the team on 0113 426 1141 or email yourspace@touchstonesupport.
Job Titles:
- Management Committee - Member
Job Titles:
- Management Committee - Member
Job Titles:
- Management Committee - Vice Chair
Job Titles:
- Management Committee - Member
Job Titles:
- Operations and Service Officer
Claire has also enjoyed a slightly different routine - with a lack of home visits meaning she has spent more time in the office with the rest of the team. "It's been really nice over the past few months to have a different perspective and see more of what everyone else gets up to, as well as more of what happens at St Matthews. We've all muddled in together and done different roles. It's been good to try new things and do some things a bit differently, and I definitely prefer to be busy!".
I am the Operations and Service Officer at Holbeck Together and have been with the organisation since 2011.
I have studied Health and Social Care 2 and 3, along with Leadership and Management Level 5. My role involves providing support and advice to people who are isolated and the wider community, enabling them to meet their physical health, mental health and cultural needs in order to live a healthy, fulfilling life. I support people with a huge range of things, from benefits to housing, education or job skills, as well as signposting them to other services.
I spend a lot of my time conducting home visits to see people who have been referred to Holbeck Together. I also manage the staff team and other operations in the office. When I am not working, my two children, who are 17 and 12, keep me busy!
Despite working with a reduced team, Simon and Gail go the extra mile, adapting the system to enable our fantastic volunteers to sort the orders into delivery lists and get the meals out in record times. Despite the Friday lunch queues they never fail to have our order perfectly right and ready to go, and always with a cheerful smile.
Leeds is my home city - and I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to support local communities in my role at Holbeck Together.
A serendipitous moment brought me to Holbeck Together to support the team for ten days and I ended up staying for ten years. Prior to this, I had a lengthy career in business.
Job Titles:
- Management Committee - Chairman
All of that support is taking place from a distance due to the ongoing challenges faced by the coronavirus pandemic, and that means Head Chef Julie's job has been turned upside down. From serving hot lunches to groups of up to 30 elderly people multiple times a week, Julie and her team of volunteers are now cooking ‘meals on wheels', delivered to people in Holbeck and surrounding areas five days a week.
Julie says the decision to move to outreach, i.e. providing meals on a delivery basis, was "a no brainer. If people can't come to us, we'll come to them. " Although it was by no means easy to set up these new operations, there was never any doubt that the team was going to supply people with the meals and shopping they needed. "We were all on board from day one really. It was always a matter of ‘oh my goodness, how are we going to do this!', but we knew that, as a team, we were going to do it."
Julie says you've got to be able to adapt and change in this line of work. "There's no point in standing still because you'll get left behind. It doesn't matter if it doesn't work the first time, we'll tweak it until it does." And they did. As the weeks progressed and more people needed support, Holbeck Together expanded, and the service has grown from there. The team went from delivering meals for 12 people a week to over 300 in the busiest weeks.
Julie cooked for the first two weeks, but then had to unexpectedly self-isolate. Two volunteers who knew the kitchen well stepped up to support meal delivery in the interim, but Julie was relieved to be able to return two weeks later. "I'm really glad I got to come back and help the team."
Job Titles:
- Management Committee - Member
I'm Laura Walton and joined Holbeck Together as the Volunteer Co-ordinator in 2022.
I began by volunteering on a Thursday in the Social Supermarket and I really enjoyed being a part of the team. I now help and support our volunteers and work with them to contribute to the delivery of the services we provide. The volunteers are such a big part of Holbeck Together and give up their free time to help others, it's been great working with them.
I have lived and worked in Holbeck for around 23 years. I have a background in support work, I was a Teaching Assistant for 11 years and then moved on to running a local community shop. The community shop enabled me to offer support and help to local people and also work with community groups in the area. I really enjoyed meeting people and building relationships with them. I have also worked as a foster carer which was a really rewarding experience.
I have been a part of lots of different community groups and events and am passionate about helping the local area and people. I have three dogs that I enjoy taking for walks and taking care of. I love living and working in Holbeck and am excited to see what this new chapter will bring.
Job Titles:
- Community Development Worker
Hi, my name is Leanne. I work part time as a Community Development Worker and when I'm not at work I'm a busy Mum to three lovely little ones. I have over 15 years' experience working in the third sector for local and national charities, and understand the importance of bringing communities together to create positive change. You can find me delivering our weekly Parents & Tots Together group, 5 week Baby Massage courses and other Wellbeing groups and events.
I am employed as part of the Better Together Service which offers community-based health and wellbeing activities. In consultation with local people the service offers positive wellbeing activities, groups for fun and friendship, cultural activities and family fun events.
Job Titles:
- Service Development Officer
I have been with Holbeck Together since 2015. Over this time period, my role and the services that we provide have seen a variety of developments. Through consulting with our clients and the continued support of funding organisations, we are able to provide a programme of exciting, sustainable, quality services that meet the needs of the ever-changing community that we work in.
Another aspect of my role includes supporting of our growing team of volunteers in their roles which spread across all areas of the service including transport, activities, catering and administration.
Similarly to our working with our core volunteer team I am also responsible for the development of our partnerships with organisations that provide corporate volunteers.
Job Titles:
- Management Committee - Member
Job Titles:
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer
Hi, my name is Nicole and I am the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion worker at Holbeck together.
My role involves developing the charity so that it includes and equally serves all the members of the local vibrant and diverse community in Holbeck . I will be working and engaging with marginalised members of the community to ensure that their voices are amplified and heard by the key policy and decision makers, impacting the lives of those in Holbeck. It is my role to listen to the needs, concerns, hopes, and aspirations of those that engage with our service as well as those that live in the local community. The main aspect of the role is to ensure that the equity, diversity and inclusion is embedded within the organisation, shaping a culture that reflects our core principles. Empowering people to make Holbeck one of the best places to thrive, work and play.
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Worker
After volunteering with the organisation for many years, I have joined Holbeck Together as a Community Engagement Worker. I initially began helping Roy on the minibus, and have gone on to support the Healthy Holidays project, coming up with ideas and linking in with local families.
Volunteering helped me to build my confidence and Holbeck Together have kindly supported me to further my education and develop the skills that I have learned. I am undertaking an apprenticeship in Adult Care Level 2 at Leeds City College alongside the role of Community Engagement Worker.
My role involves supporting and linking in with all of our clients including working with children and families to coordinate the Healthy Holidays activities. I am also mapping our client base, meeting our older clients and re-introducing the community to Holbeck Together. I juggle my role with being a busy mum of three. I am grateful for this new opportunity and look forward to continuing to support our clients in the best way I can.
Job Titles:
- Management Committee - Member
Job Titles:
- Community Wellbeing and Transport Co - Ordinator
I joined the organisation in 2011 as a volunteer driver. We only had a small white Sherpa in those days, it was a bit of a shed really! I joined the staff team in 2015 as Community Transport Driver as part of the expansion of the transport department.
We've got two big yellow buses now and do twice-weekly shopping trips to Hunslet Morrisons, transport for Holbeck Together's growing activity schedule and monthly out-of-hours shopping trips. I collect people from home, supporting them from their door and helping them to lock up, and get safely onto the bus; I give people a hand at the shops, supporting them to retain independence and get all the bits they need; making sure everyone who wants to can grab a cup of tea and cake and have a natter; before helping them safely back home with all of their bags. I love being able to get people settled with all of their stuff in the kitchen, before heading back off again.
I like to treat people as I'd want my mother to be treated and you a have laugh and a joke with people. It's really social and you get to know everyone's quirks and the kind of help people are looking for.
I'm a jack of all trades and I've done everything from damp-proofing to waitering, from being a porter to laying telephone cables. I've even managed a café before.
I like fishing in my free time and am a die-hard Hull Kingston Rovers Rugby Fan. On my free weekends, I like to go to the rugby with my family and I even enjoy a bit of baking
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Worker
Hello, I started working with communities across Leeds in 1996 as a newly qualified teacher and artist. I wanted to make learning and being involved in arts projects easy to do and so set up classes in community centres, day centres and in schools so local people could take part. This is something which is very close to my heart!
Since 1996, I have used arts and crafts to engage with groups of people of all ages and backgrounds in Middleton, Belle Isle, Cottingley as well as in Hyde Park, Headingley, Burley, Gipton, Chapeltown and Swarcliffe. I will be out and about in the community and able to visit you at home to provide advice on benefits, housing, fuel and food support. I will also be creating a programme of social activities, incorporating health and wellbeing information and advice, alongside intensive individual encouragement and support to engage with the Holbeck Together services and other organisations.