Welcome to the Advent Calendar, day 15. Nowell Community Centre is a fantastic resource right in the middle of a park… well, in its garden.
When I tell people, I’m writing a Good News Advent Calendar about Harehills, some believe this would be hard to do, that there isn’t enough to fill it. I actually have the opposite problem. There’s so much to cover. Regrettably, one of the things missed last year was the Nowell Mount Community Group, but Donna Morris, not this year.
Nowell Mount Community Centre has so much going on. There is always something happening, from activities for kids during the holidays and the school year to support for job seekers and support for our communities.
They work with a wide variety of local and citywide organisations, including Zest; during June, they held fun family football sessions with Leeds United coaches as part of the Active Through Football Foundation’s Active Through Football initiative. They’ve taken advantage of the Play Streets initiative that allows for a local road to be closed to give young people the opportunity for a play space for games and fun.
Working with Sutton Park Community Centre during the summer holidays, they held a Healthy Holidays Initiative for young people aged 11-19, which looks so much fun.
Everything sounds lovely, but this one really enamours me. Their community garden was used for families to come along and plant and sow seeds, flowers and fruits. No equipment is needed, just a lovely space for people to come and garden as a family.
There are fantastic art opportunities for all ages. During Summer, Nowell Community Centre hosted Brave Words for a summer of art and drama. During October, they hosted several sessions of the Writing Our Harehills, which added so much to our Winter Welcome. DAZL hold a street dance class at the Nowell Community Centre for five to eleven-year-olds.
Their centre and its Facebook group are a wealth of absolutely valuable information for the local community, events, providing support and information in both the pandemic and cost of living crisis, help and support Roma communities and refugees from all over, including recent arrivals from Ukraine settling in the area.
As we come into the coldest part of the year, facing an insurmountable cost of living crisis for many, as mentioned in the warm spaces and food entry on day 5, they have a collection point for warm coats and towels. They also have a Tea Time Club for a free meal to support people during the cost of living crisis.
In November, councillor Asghar Khan presented a well-deserved certificate of recognition in appreciation of their fantastic work and support within the community.
The Nowell Community Centre and Group are a fantastic resource in our local community. They have done so much to help everyone, young and old, no matter where they are or where they came from, and they have a fantastic facility with a beautiful garden. So I want to thank them, I’m sorry you got missed this last year.
Check out the Nowell Community Groups on Facebook and Twitter to catch up with the latest they have on.
Harehills ❤️ Love 
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