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New £2.5m centre for Leeds Mencap

A new £2.5 million centre is to be built by Leeds Mencap on the site of the former Mount St Mary's primary School in East Leeds.

Artist's impression of new Leeds Mencap centre Credit: Leeds Mencap

The centre will cater for people with learning disabilities from the whole of Leeds, as well as local community groups plus a nursery.

By meeting a range of needs, it is expected that the new centre will benefit more than 2,000 Leeds residents.

The announcement that work is to start on the centre comes as part of Leeds Mencap’s Space for me campaign, which began in June to raise the final funds needed. Now the charity is launching a Buy a Brick scheme to source the remaining £500,000 needed for this project.

"This area hasn’t been exposed to high levels of investment or regeneration in recent times, so we’re delighted to confirm that we’re going ahead with this transformational project.

"The building will offer new opportunities both to local residents and people across the City and will be of great benefit.”

– Bernie Gahan, Leeds Mencap Project Manager

Social history of learning difficulties in Leeds

Leeds Mencap is calling for volunteers and artefacts to help with an exhibition in 2013 to celebrate its 60th birthday entitled ‘the social history of learning disabilities in Leeds’ to take place at the Leeds City Museum.

The project is taking place thanks to an All Our Stories _grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). All Our Stories, a brand new small grant programme, launched earlier this year.

The exhibition will investigate the history of learning disabilities throughout Leeds and examine the changes of definitions, community care, institutions, stereotypes and perceptions of individuals with a learning disability throughout the city.

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