We at Leeds Homeshare provide a service that makes a huge difference in people’s lives, enabling them to stay independent and remain living at home for longer.
Homeshare is a simple idea, we carefully match an older person who has a spare room and needs a helping hand with a younger person who wants somewhere to live. We’re a Leeds City Council service.
We provide a safe and supportive service by carrying out background checks on our sharers including police, credit and references. We do a thorough assessment and carefully match householders with the right sharer for them. Householders tell us what sort of sharer they would like. We have a lady who wanted a Spanish speaking sharer and now they speak Spanish together. Some householders want us to find them a sharer of the same religion and we do this. We are asked by family members to find their parents a sharer because they worry about them being on their own in their home.
The sharer provides 10 hours of support a week for the householder and helps with tasks such as cleaning, shopping. Lots of householders contacted us because they live alone or after their partners have died because they want the reassurance of company in the house overnight.
Homeshare brings two people together who have a lot to offer and the benefits are mutual. Householders can save money as their sharer contributes towards the cost of bills. Sharers contribute an affordable monthly fee to cover the running costs of the scheme.
We have a South Leeds householder in Beeston, Bal, aged 74 who wants a sharer. We are looking for a young woman who speaks Punjabi and is a Sikh to share with her. Bal would like some company and someone to help her with cleaning. In return the sharer would live in Bal’s lovely house.
We have another householder Margaret who has a sharer Holly living with her, she says:
“I wanted a sharer so that I had the reassurance of someone with me in the house overnight. Holly is a very kind, caring, young woman. She likes cooking and makes lovely cakes.
“My house has always been busy with my three boys and then my grandchildren. I get on well with younger people and I didn’t want to live on my own, I have a lot of life experiences and knowledge to give back to a sharer. I am enjoy spending time with Holly in the house and going to cafes together.”
Holly says that:
“Margaret is very friendly, she’s lived a very interesting life, and she’s great to talk to! I really like living with her and helping her when she needs it.”
Homeshare is not just for older people. Some of our householders are younger and have additional needs, for example a physical disability. Homeshare is a culturally sensitive service, at the moment we have an older Muslim man in Holbeck who is widowed and we would like us to find him a Muslim sharer.
Could you, or anyone else you know, benefit from having a sharer? If so please get in touch with Leeds Homeshare. Call (0113) 387 5410, or email: homeshare@leeds.gov.uk.
We encourage anyone living or working in South Leeds to use this website to tell their news. You can either use the Create an article for South Leeds Life page, or email us at: info@southleedslife.com
