Story project aims to bring Holbeck's rich history and heritage to life

Developer CEG, which is behind the £350m Temple scheme at Globe Road, has teamed up with theatre company Slung Low to launch the Once Upon A Time in Holbeck story project.

The initiative, which is now open for entries, aims to collect stories from as many people as possible about Holbeck’s rich, varied, significant and often unexpected history.

It will culminate in a special event at The Holbeck Working Men’s Club on Wednesday, January 15, when all the entries will be celebrated, and prizes awarded to the stories that really stood out.

All entries will be assessed by a panel of judges consisting of a representative from CEG, Carol Shaw from BAM Construction, Chris Skelton of Thompson Brand Partners, and writer and blogger Jon Howe. Prizes include £200 shopping vouchers, a mystery weekend and Leeds United tickets.

Aisling Ramshaw, head of sales and marketing at CEG, said: “We are delighted to be working with Slung Low on this project, because we feel Holbeck is rich with history and untold stories. At CEG we really value history, not just in our buildings but real stories of people’s lives which have helped shape the area.”

Alan Lane, artistic director of Slung Low, which is itself based in Holbeck, added: “One of the things Slung Low loves about Holbeck is the area’s diverse and proud history.

“Holbeck is undergoing great change, and now is the perfect time to recognise the past as a new chapter begins and gather together wonderful stories of people, achievement, good times and bad.

“We want to hear stories of times long gone, stories that have almost been forgotten, stories that have happened to you and stories that need to be told and heard. We also want to encourage people to share any photographs that accompany their stories and help further bring them to life.”

John Currie, regional director at Tolent, added: “We’re really pleased to be supporting this competition and look forward to hearing all the wonderful stories from the local community.”

To submit a story, or to ask any questions about the project, email: [email protected]

Stories can be submitted in different formats, including written and audio.

Slung Low is also encouraging people to drop their stories off in person at The Holbeck on Jenkinson Lawn, where they can also talk to a member of the team and share their information and memories.

CEG is behind Temple, a new district within the city centre forming a key part of the South Bank Regeneration Area of Leeds adjacent to Leeds Railway Station.

It includes the 8.69 acre sites around Water Lane and Globe Road which CEG has secured planning permission for, as well as the historic Grade 1 listed Temple Mill, which was acquired in early 2018.