Making Better lives for those in need in Leeds city centre

09 December 2021

Making Better lives for those in need in Leeds city centre

City centre fundraising campaign, Making Better, has launched, with the aim of improving the lives of people in need on the streets of Leeds.

‘Tap-to-donate’ units have been installation in the city centre, ready to make it easy to get involved with and support the campaign. The units allow people to make direct donations by simply tapping their card on the machine – an easy way to raise funds for a range of local charitable organisations operating across the city centre to support vulnerable individuals.

And this week sees the rollout of four donation units in key locations including Leeds Station, Tesco Briggate and Bond Street, and Wilko.

Making Better will channel donations to help provide everyday yet essential items and assistance to those who need them. Because often, it’s the small interventions which can have the most life-changing impact.

Led by LeedsBID – Making Better is about supporting local charities working hard every day to tackle homelessness and social disconnection on the streets of the city centre. By connecting resources and enabling people to donate to those in genuine need, the campaign seeks to improve lives, communities and futures.

Making Better follows the success of 2018’s Big Change Leeds campaign, which saw LeedsBID working with Safer Leeds and Leeds Community Foundation to raise almost £80,000 for people in need. The money has helped more than 1,000 individuals, who directly benefited from a range of services and items – from clean underwear and travel passes to starter packs and birth certificates. Now, Making Better is driving the Big Change Leeds ethos forward, this time by creating an alternative to giving directly on the streets.

Rough sleeping, homelessness and street activities are increasing issues in Leeds. Making Better gives those experiencing or at risk of a life on the street the support they need to move towards a better and safer future. It also helps manage the challenges these things present to those living, working and visiting the city centre. Providing additional funds to existing charities helps make sure the support goes to those who require it and is tailored to those individuals’ needs.

Karen Butler
Head of Place Management and Delivery at LeedsBID

Making Better tap to donate units can be found at:

Leeds Train Station – New Station Street, located in the window of the unit adjacent to Pret a Manger
Tesco Bond Street- inside the store, by the Community Board at the end of the tills
Tesco Briggate – located in the window facing Briggate, to the left of the entrance
Wilko, Albion Street – located in the window to the left of the main entrance

Find out more at: https://making-better.org