Hey Neighbour Celebration Event 2025

Appreciation and thanks go to all the grassroots projects funded by ‘Hey Neighbour’.

On Thursday 20 March 2025, in the presence of Deputy Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire and Cllr Salma Arif, many different grassroots projects from across Leeds were invited to a special celebration event to say “thank you” for their work in communities as part of the Hey Neighbour small grants programme.

A diversity of projects, including a night time running group, an Ethiopian Mums group, a community pantomime, a Breakfast Club and an Afro Dance project, were present.

All the projects have been funded by the innovative Hey Neighbour Fund, which is administered by Leeds Older People’s Forum in partnership with the ABCD in Leeds Programme, through Leeds City Council.

The event at the Ramgharia Sports Centre, Chapeltown Road, included delicious food cooked by hosts the Lagan Group, themselves a beneficiary of the Hey Neighbour Fund, with entertainment from the Mindful Singing Group, another Hey Neighbour grantee.

There was a large display of items from many of the 40 projects that have been funded since the summer, from a grant pot of £40,000, as well as the unveiling of a special Hey Neighbour Tapestry.

The event was attended by Sue Baker MBE JP DL, Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, and by Councillor Salma Arif, the council’s lead on Adult Social Care, Public Health and Active Lifestyles, who both displayed gratitude and warmth to all the attendees.

The Hey Neighbour Fund comprises of small, easy-access, low-reporting grants designed to give organisations and individuals a first leg up to help them to help others around them.

“The ABCD in Leeds programme is proud to have funded Hey Neighbour, through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. We have seen wonderful and transformative examples of people led action through activities and projects that have built social connection, and sustainability in communities across Leeds.” Verity O’Hara – ABCD Manager, Leeds City Council

Councillor Salma Arif was pleased to announce that the Hey Neighbour fund was being funded by Leeds City Council to run again this year, 2025 – 26.

Take a look at our post on LinkedIn to see more photos from the day.