Canopy Housing Leeds volunteers share pride in creating new homes as charity completes biggest project yet

Canopy Housing renovates derelict houses across Leeds and rents them out to people at risk of homelessness at affordable prices. Its latest project has been the most ambitious yet, converting a former office block on Bayswater Grove in Harehills into three two-bedroom flats.

As an innovative ‘self-help’ organisation, Canopy offers tenants the opportunity to learn construction and renovation skills as their homes near completion. They can choose what colour paint goes on the walls and what carpets go on the floors, to increase the sense of belonging that tenants have in their homes.

Yet over the past 25 years, Canopy’s impact has gone beyond just its tenants. It relies on teams of volunteers to renovate its properties, giving them the chance to learn new skills and share their own under the guidance of trained site managers.

Tilla Brook, 64, is a leadership and management coach for health professionals and has been volunteering at Canopy’s Bayswater Grove site since January. Despite previously never having had formal construction training, she says she has always enjoyed doing DIY around the house and wanted to do something where she could see the difference she was making. “I can’t tell you how good it is to walk in every time and go ‘Oh, the other teams have done this,’” Tilla says. “The changes in this building between January and now are amazing.”

Tilla had been looking for a volunteering project as she began to think about retirement and came across Canopy while searching. On her first day she was given a tool bag with her name on it and “felt like a member of the team from the very beginning”.

Fellow volunteer Lee Young, 17, is currently studying joinery at college and agrees that working practically alongside others has given him a huge boost in confidence. “I came here for what was supposed to be a six-week period at first just to get some experience on a working site,” he said. “Eight months later, I’m still here – that tells you something about the atmosphere on site. I’m training to become a joiner, so to be able to come here and put those skills into practice alongside such supportive people is an amazing opportunity.”

Having worked with Citizens Advice for eight years and in a women’s refuge for two years, Tilla says she never loses sight of Canopy’s purpose – to support people at risk of homelessness. She said: “A lot of other houses around here are owned by private landlords and in poor condition, whereas the work we’re doing is to create three lovely, warm flats. For me, to be part of doing that for some people who have had either a tough few years or a tough life, I just think it’s fantastic. So, as long as I’m fit, I’m going to carry on doing it.”

Visit the Canopy Housing website to find out more about getting involved in its work.