We went to the Heritage Day celebrations at Gipton Old Fire Station to meet up with local residents.
23 people joined us at this Big Leeds Chat. What did people say in the York Road area?
On the whole, people in the York Road area felt they’d more or less “managed” during the last 18 months (although that wasn’t universal, of course). Home-schooling was widely agreed to have been hard, and many of the people who chatted with us had kept working throughout the pandemic.
Sometimes, job changes and home-working had made life a little easier, although long hours meant some people didn’t have as much time as they’d like to look after themselves through things like exercise and social clubs.
One key downside people had noticed in recent times, however, was trouble getting primary care. While again there were exceptions, a number of residents told us getting to speak with a GP had been very difficult, and a couple of residents said NHS 111 hadn’t worked for them at all.
People were particularly keen to see more spaces and activities to keep young people happy and well, with some saying it would be great to have more mental health support for everyone, children in particular. Two people also said men would benefit from more support.
There was a widespread feeling that community centres and groups were hugely valuable be to everyone’s wellbeing. In fact, a couple of people told us they had been coming to Gipton Old Fire Station for 40 or 50 years, and some called in on a near-daily basis.
What next steps for the York Road area did this chat inspire in our decision-makers?
“Improve access to exercise & community activities for working people on low wages.”
“Check how health visitor access has been in Leeds – do we know?”
“Identify investments: we need more fantastic community venues like the Old Fire Station that brings diverse people together.”
“Ensure we keep investing in activities & support for families to reduce crime & anti-social behaviour.”
