We’ve covered CATCH Leeds’ educational farm before, (all the way back on day 2!) but CATCH Leeds is more than a farm, that’s a recent development.
Another recent development was their royal recognition when they were awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The Voluntary Service award is the highest award for voluntary groups in the UK, there is a vigorous process of local and national panels that assess nominated groups.
It is a fitting award for CATCH, whose name is an acronym for Community Action to Create Hope because that’s what it does so well.
The award recognises the amazing contributions CATCH Leeds has made to the local community.
This is a milestone through CATCH’s history in the area, not the beginning or end of their story. I’ve no idea where or when that end will be, hopefully, if it ever comes it’s long, long, down the road – but we can look at their beginnings, their history.
History
CATCH Leeds came together in January 2011 founded by passionate volunteers from police officers, school staff and members of the community, along with support from Voluntary Action Leeds.
The story started nearly a year before that still when Ash Razzaq found a parcel of land by Hovingham School, that was being used for anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping, and set about cleaning up and developing the land alongside his colleagues and other volunteers.
After looking at the needs of the area, CATCH identified that there was a need for youth provision and engagement in the area, and set about events and activities in local parks and green spaces.
January 2013, CATCH moved into a modular building on the site, running a youth club four nights a week. Later that year it incorporated into a business and charity which allowed it to take ownership of the land.
They continued to develop the Hub, and the land it sits on to maximise the space for sports and other activities.
In 2016 they acquired a modular building that was slated for destruction, with the help of Enviro Building Solutions Ltd, and volunteers and businesses the modular building was moved and refurbished, it became the iconic building within Harehills we know and love today.
Present Day
Every step along that history, CATCH has been working on Youth Engagement and supporting the community. The pandemic couldn’t stop them, and they become a distributor for food parcels during the pandemic, and it’s the kids that are that day in and day out doing the hard work. Not because it’s required, but because they are passionate, ambitious and community-spirited.
If you go down Hovingham Avenue, not only will you see their iconic building, but the green Food Bus, that is used to support the local community.
Even before the troubles over bonfire night in 2019, the kids were working on raising awareness of the dangers and disruption of fireworks, but since the troubles they’ve stepped up young engagement, (alongside other groups and facilities in the area), to provide places for young people to congregate and have fun on bonfire night. This year saw them putting a 5-aside football tournament, roller disco, pool and table tennis tournaments and much much more.
Young people drive all this, just as with the farm, there are adult volunteers guiding them helping them, but it’s the young people that put the work in. It also means the young volunteers need to learn new skills, I was blown away last year at the life-saving and first aid skills that were being taught to kids.
November this year also saw a visit from HRH the Duke of Cambridge, who came to meet the volunteer young people and to see what CATCH does that’s so special, from youth engagement to their recent work to support young people evacuated from Afganhistan to learn English.
And yes, he visited with the goats too!
The Future
No idea. The young people at CATCH Leeds will write that, and I look forward to seeing how this amazing organisation grows and develops. It’s been a beacon of hope and fun and ambition in the heart of Harehills for over ten years.
I will never stop marvelling at the commitment and passion of its young people, nor at the cuteness of those goats!
You can find out more about CATCH from their website, Facebook page, and Twitter account.
You can find all the released Advent Posts here: Harehills Good News Advent Calendar 2021
Harehills ❤️ Love 
Leave a comment