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A new start in Leeds

Affinity Trust celebrated its move into new offices in Leeds with an open day on Thursday 14 September.

In attendance were more than 100 people with learning disabilities, their families, carers, staff, and health and social care professionals. They were treated to a premiere of a music video featuring the people the charity supports in Leeds, and filmed around the city.

Affinity Trust has been supporting people with a learning disability in Leeds for some 20 years.  The local Opportunities Service offers people with learning disabilities a range of activities, including cookery courses, craft workshops, bowling, swimming and football.

An empty warehouse with three windows
Before: inside the original building

After 15 years based in Holbeck, the service moved into new offices on Berking Avenue, off York Road, in August. The move followed months of searching and planning, followed by eight weeks of building and decoration in which the team turned a disused warehouse with a leaking roof into a bright, accessible multi-purpose space.

The project was led by support manager Emma Carrington, who said: “Our old base in Holbeck was starting to look tired and was not really suitable for our purposes. It was surrounded by yellow lines and parking was a constant issue.”

“Our new premises, featuring wider corridors and doors, a spacious disabled bathroom and art, woodwork and computer rooms, will be much more accessible for people with a wide range of abilities. They will allow us to offer a more individualised set of activities.”

This means that staff can now run sessions like woodwork and art and craft at the same time, rather than having to compete for space.

“We are always looking for new opportunities for the people we support”

The new building also benefits from better parking and proximity to local bus routes.

Emma adds that the building will allow the service to develop and grow: “We plan on expanding the service and taking on new referrals. We are always looking for new opportunities for the people we support.

Man cutting a ribbon to open a building
After: Leo Sowerby opens the new building

“We’re making links and connections in our new community, and hope to get more involved with St Vincent’s Support Centre next door, introducing some individuals to voluntary work and using the groups and courses that they run.

“As we progress, we have the potential to introduce our own activity groups with structured sessions which we could open up to the wider community in time.”

Find out more about our services across England and Scotland

Contact us

Contact us

Head Office

Head Office
1 St Andrew's Court, Wellington Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3WT View Map
T: 01844 267800 F: 01844 267829 E: info@affinitytrust.org
Media enquiries to:
1 St. Andrew's Court, Wellington Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3WT
T: 07553 264 975 E: PressOffice@affinitytrust.org

Central England

Central - Divisional Office
Rowan Room, Acacia Room, BT Room, Poplar Room and Office Ground floor, National Training Centre 3 Gilmour Close Leicester LE4 1EZ View Map
T: 0116 236 3793 F: 0345 643 7094 E: infocentral@affinitytrust.org
Sheffield
For enquiries about Sheffield-based services
T: 07387 058 872 (9am-3.45pm Monday-Thursday only) E: infosheffield@affinitytrust.org

East England

East - Divisional Office
U18, South Fens Business Centre, Fenton Way, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire PE16 6TT View Map
T: 01354 696009 F: 08456 437521 E: infoeast@affinitytrust.org
Enquiries for Norfolk and Suffolk should be directed to the Divisional Office.
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North England

North - Divisional Office
Unit 12, Curtis House Business Centre, Leeds, LS9 9LF View Map
T: 0113 468 4460 E: infonorth@affinitytrust.org
Bradford District Office
Unit 9 Parkview Court, St Paul's Road, Shipley, West Yorkshire, BD18 3DZ View Map
T: 01274 533553 E: infoshipley@affinitytrust.org
West Midlands Office
Flat 7, Parry’s Court, Woodside Place, Cannock, Staffordshire, WS11 4AA View Map
T: 01543 578764

Positive Behaviour Support for children, young people and their families

Positive Behaviour Support
1 St. Andrew's Court Wellington Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3WT View Map
T: 07341 478228 E: paultaylor@affinitytrust.org

Scotland

Scotland - Divisional Office
62 Viewfield Road, Ayr KA8 8HH View Map
T: 01292 436030 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org
Oban Office
First Floor, Glenshellach House, 7e Glengallan Road, Oban, PA34 4HG View Map
T: 01631 571311 F: 01631 566708 / 0872 111 4616 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org
Aberdeen Office
87a Urquhart Road, Aberdeen, AB24 5ND View Map
T: 01224 039264 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org
Isle of Bute Office
18 East Princes Street, Rothesay, Isle of Bute PA20 9DL View Map
T: 01700 500376 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org
Irvine office
Suites 2/1 and 2/2, Landek House, 44-46 Bank Street, Irvine KA12 0LP View Map
T: 01294 446600 E: infoscotland@affinitytrust.org

South & South West

South - Divisional Office
Suites 53-55, Aldershot Enterprise Centre, Mandora House, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 2PW View Map
T: 01252 311188 F: 01252 311170 E: infosouth@affinitytrust.org
Somerset Office
Mendip Court, Bath Road, Wells, Somerset BA5 3DG View Map
T: 01749 605594 E: infosouth@affinitytrust.org

South East, Bedford and Northamptonshire

South East - Divisional Office
Suite 2+3, Henwood Pavilion, Henwood, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8DH View Map
T: 01233 665324 E: infosoutheast@affinitytrust.org

Specialist Support

Specialist Support
Head Office, 1 St Andrew's Court, Wellington Street, Thame View Map
T: 01844 267800 F: 01844 267049 E: info@affinitytrust.org