About Us

Our building

Woodhouse Community Centre has been at its present location on Woodhouse Street in Leeds since Victorian times. It has been used for several different purposes over the years, including a Library, church, school and community centre. You can find out in more detail about the History of Woodhouse Community Centre.

Our commitment

Oblong took over running of the building from Leeds City Council in April 2011 through a process called Community Asset Transfer. The building had become under-used, and the council was losing more than £60,000 each year to run it. As a condition of taking responsibility for the centre, Oblong refurbished the building, making it more sustainable and fully accessible. Oblong successfully sought funding for this through the Community builders fund, with The Social Investment Business providing over £400,000 of investment to pay for the building works. About three quarters of this is a loan, which Oblong must repay over twenty years.

Our community

At Oblong we like to do things differently. Oblong aims to be a non hierarchical organisation. When we say community led, we mean our volunteers and members are involved at every level; from the day to day running of the centre to making our strategic plans, and everything in between. Our aim is to create empowered, connect communities where people work together to tackle the problems they face. We need your help to make this centre a thriving community hub. There are loads of ways you can get involved and support us:

• become a volunteer and support us with reception, marketing or setting up a new group that will benefit the community.

• join our board of trustees and help run the organisation

• make a donation

• book a room. All our profits go back into the community and the services we provide.

• support or attend an existing class or activity, learn new skills and meet other local people