The new scheme will be piloted in Dortmund Square over the next three weekends.
The Women's Night Safe Space is a new scheme offering non-judgemental support, refuge and advice inside a stationary bus in Leeds city centre.
The initiative will offer mobile phone charging points, support calling a taxi, as well as ensuring a fresh supply of water, refreshments and warm drinks are readily available.
Hoping to be a place where women can come to if they feel concerned, unwell or vulnerable during a night out; this will be a safe place to report incidents to the police and wait for further assistance; or simply somewhere warm where women can wait for friends, so they are not alone.
The bus will be located on Dortmund Square on The Headrow. / Image: WikiCommons
Emily Turner, Women’s Lives Leeds project manager, has led the organisation of the Women’s Night Safe Space pilot. She says: “The Leeds Women’s Safety survey in May 2021 surveyed over 1,300 women of all ages, from all parts of the city.
”50% of the women we surveyed told us they often or always felt unsafe in the city centre at night. This pilot addresses the important issue of women feeling safe, as well as being safe, giving them a non-judgemental safe space to support their needs, be it make a report to the police, or simply a space to wait for friends if they become separated and worried.
“The main priorities that emerged from the survey were the need to tackle the attitudes and behaviour which underpin violence against women and girls; to make city environments safer; to increase reporting and improve responses.
Starting this Friday 4 March, the bus will run for the next three consecutive weekends from 9pm - 2am at Dortmund Square as part of the pilot scheme.
Image: Michael Discenz, Unsplash
A female security officer from security firm Gough and Kelly will be on hand for the duration of the pilot to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people accessing the safe space and the staff and volunteers delivering it.
West Yorkshire Police will also be available if needed to respond to incidents reported by people who access the project.
Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for resources with responsibility for Safer Leeds said:
“Every woman in Leeds should be able to visit our city and feel safe but we know that may not always be the case. Our aim is to tackle and prevent any issues before they arise and provide women with a safe, friendly and non-judgemental place to visit if they feel unsafe and we hope we can roll this pilot out more widely in the future.”
“This important pilot forms part of the city’s wider work in addressing violence against women and girls. Following the successful launch of the Ask for Angela campaign last year, we now want to expand on that work and create a safe place for women to go if they feel at risk while out and about in the city centre."
People are also still being urged to use the ‘Ask for Angela’ service if they feel unsafe in a bar, pub or club.
We hope this service is a great success and provides women a place to recharge and safely offload concerns and receive professional assistance when needed.
Feature Image- Unsplash
Leeds
Inside the new Leeds craft shop where you can make your own phone cases, water bottles, and notepads
A new crafting paradise has opened in Leeds city centre, right in time for the summer holidays.
Happy Hour Workshop has already been a smash hit over in Greater Manchester, and now owner Lili has brought her playful and creative business over to Queens Arcade.
The brand-new, sunny yellow crafting destination has walls absolutely crammed with colourful supplies, with a big focus on the current trend of cream gel DIY.
The level of customisation here will send an indecisive person into a tailspin.
First you can choose the item you want to customise, whether it’s a mirror, a claw clip, a pencil case, a handheld fan, a phone case, a water bottle, a notepad, or just about any other useful item you can think of.
Then you’re let loose with a bowl and dream, to peruse the many, many drawers of colourful charms you can add to your chosen product.
There are literally thousands of charms - food items like hot dogs and ice cream cones; characters like Labubus and Minions; and adorable motifs like bows and rainbows.
The wall of craft suppliesThousands of charms to choose fromYou can customise a glass tumblerOr make a notepadOwner Lili outside Happy Hour Workshop Leeds
You could spell out your name with bubble letters, make a whole buffet’s worth of fake food items, design yourself a beautiful garden, or create a new world for the K-Pop Demon Hunters.
Your final step before heading to your craft station is to choose a colour cream gel, which you can pipe onto your item like icing a cake before wedging your charms into place.
As well as the charms, Happy Hour Workshop is offering other crafting experiences like bracelet making, money box painting, paint by numbers, slime making, and loads more to come.
You’ll find it at 9 Queens Arcade and it’s open now.
Pints of Knowledge, Callum Campbell’s fastest-growing event, is coming to Leeds city centre this summer
Clementine Hall
The pub night that's packing out venues across the UK is coming to Leeds.
Let us introduce you to Pints of Knowledge, a phenomenon founded by Callum Campbell that has built a social media following of more than 160,000 people.
This is different to your average night out, it's a chance to meet new people and spark interesting conversation all in the relaxing surroundings of a pub.
The event has attracted thousands to its unique mix of expert talks, conversation and community in pubs across the UK.
Image: Supplied
And if you're looking to get in on the action then you're in luck, because Pints of Knowledge is arriving at The Wardrobe on Sunday 9 August.
So, what can you expect? From landmark legal history and the hidden pressures behind big systems to the evolving language of gaslighting and radical cinema, Sunday's Leeds programme will demonstrate exactly why Pints of Knowledge has struck such a chord with audiences across the UK.
Founder Callum Campbell, who has spent more than a decade producing live events across Britain, said bringing the concept to Leeds was the natural next step - and we're so happy he thought so.
Image: Supplied
He said: "I've always wanted to bring Pints of Knowledge to more cities across England, and Leeds has such a strong appetite for ideas and conversation. Watching this grow has been amazing, and I can't wait to bring it here.
"As more people look for experiences beyond a traditional night out, Pints of Knowledge offers something different: expert speakers, thought-provoking conversations and the chance to meet new people, all in the relaxed surroundings of a pub.
"People still love going to the pub, but they're looking for more from the experience. Pints of Knowledge is about hearing incredible stories, asking questions, meeting interesting people and leaving having learned something new."
Image: Supplied
The Pints of Knowledge programme at The Wardrobe will look like this:
12pm - Human rights lawyer Mahnoor Omer presents '10 Legal Cases that Changed History'.
2pm - Georgina Shute asks 'Why billion-pound systems are built by people who can't finish their to-do lists'.
4pm - Isobel Logan explores 'Gaslighting: The Evolution of a Concept Across Art, Relationships and Politics'.
6pm - Angelos Koutsourakis will examine 'Third Cinema, The Global South & Climate Change'.
Campbell added: "One hour you can be unpacking landmark legal cases, the next you're hearing about the psychology behind gaslighting, before finishing the day exploring cinema and climate change. That's what makes Pints of Knowledge different.
"This is just the beginning. We've seen an incredible response across the UK, and we're excited to build on that by bringing Pints of Knowledge to more cities across the country.”
Pints of Knowledge takes place at The Wardrobe in Leeds on Sunday 9 August, and you can get your tickets here.
Sophie Smith -
3rd March 2022 
