5 minutes with… OPAL

Older Peoples Action in the Locality was formed in January 2002 to help support people over the age of 60 living within Leeds postcode LS16.  We have since developed a disused building into a thriving community centre for all ages.

What services do you offer people living with or affected by cancer?

We have been working with West Yorkshire & Harrogate Cancer Alliance towards a non-clinical community model of support for adults living with and beyond cancer.  As part of this initiative, we have training for staff and volunteers to become a contact point for people to get information and signpost to relevant services. Working with the NHS, we aim to host information and education events in the community centre. Invites will be via Local GP practices.

About The Welcome In Community Centre

The Welcome In Community Centre is open to everyone. Our community café is open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9am – 3pm, offering a warm, inclusive space for people to meet, chat and enjoy good food. A wide range of partner organisations also use the centre, and you can find details of all our activities for every age group on our website.

How do you support people with specific needs?

Our premises are fully accessible for people with reduced mobility and can comfortably accommodate wheelchair users.

We also provide accessible transport to support OPAL activities, helping older adults travel safely to and from the centre. Our vehicles are available for pre-planned community bookings at a reasonable cost.

To help meet language needs, we work with a network of volunteers and local services who can support a wide range of spoken languages whenever required.

What’s the most rewarding thing about your work?

The most rewarding part of what we do is hearing the positive feedback from the people we support. We are also incredibly proud to have received several awards, including the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service — a testament to our dedicated volunteers, management team, committee members, admin helpers, drivers and activity supporters.

What would you say to someone who is nervous about getting in touch?

A great first step is simply visiting our café. It’s a friendly, colourful and welcoming environment where our staff and volunteers are always ready to help. Many people tell us that their first visit quickly puts them at ease.

Do you have testimonials from people who use your services?

Can you tell us about your team?

Our Welcome In staff team is made up of four dedicated members, supported by a community worker who operates across both Welcome In and OPAL.

OPAL has nine staff members — two full-time and the rest part‑time — covering all aspects of our work and supporting our wide range of activities.

What are the values of your organisation, and how would you describe it in three words?

Caring. Social. Community.

Our organisation promotes community development, independence and wellbeing. Above all, we aim to ensure everyone feels valued, included and able to contribute.

How are you funded, and how can people support your work?

As a charity, we rely on a combination of donations, corporate sponsorship, statutory funding and grants to stay financially stable. We also charge subsidised fees for some activities to help keep our services sustainable.

If you’d like to support us, donations can be made directly through our website. We also welcome volunteers — giving your time is a wonderful way to help strengthen our community.