The much needed work of a Leeds social enterprise is set to receive a boost thanks to local councillors.
SLATE ‘Feel Good Furniture Shop’ aims to help the local community through offering people second hand furniture at bargain prices and by giving people who have learning disabilities and physical disabilities the chance to work or volunteer. They also collect unwanted furniture to divert it from going to landfill. SLATE (South Leeds Alternative Trading Enterprise) is a social enterprise that is based around giving something to the community and it requires key assets such as a van to operate successfully and help as many members of the wider community as possible.
City & Hunslet Councillors Patrick Davey, Elizabeth Nash, Mohammed Iqbal and colleagues on the Inner South Community Committee have funded £9,000 to SLATE Furniture Store in order to help fund the purchase of a newer van to aid their expansion.
Currently, the van SLATE is using is extremely unreliable and is limiting the work that they do. With the help of local councillors, SLATE is able to purchase a newer van which will help increase their reliability, operating hours and increase the collection and delivery process of 33% more furniture. This will also help aid the expansion of the existing store that SLATE is currently operating in.
Councillor Davey hopes that the funding will aid the development of SLATE and provide key opportunities for people who are deprived in some way to get jobs and learn new skills. He said:
“SLATE has made a true difference to the local community and this funding will help expand it to the wider community and encourage it to help more people. SLATE has been supported in the past and has used our resources effectively in order to fund their success. I am really pleased that we are able to support this social enterprise as it will make a lasting change to the area for the better and will help many people.”
SLATE’s furniture collection service is free. If you have furniture to donate please call SLATE on (0113) 270 4005 or email: shop@slateleeds.co.uk.
SLATE’s Feel Good Furniture Store is located on Low Road in Hunslet, close to McDonalds, they also run the Feel Good Cafe at Hillside in Beeston.
Fantastic project, keep up the great work.