Inside the 'life-changing' centre one year after being saved from closure

A "life changing" community centre in Leeds is looking to continue expanding its offerings after receiving an incredible £117,500 lottery grant.

- by Charles Gray

Swinnow Community Centre was taken over a year ago by husband and wife Will and Lucy Munton after the eight-year stewardship of Yvonne Allman.

Will said: "Yvonne had run it really successfully but I think it had just dwindled down with volunteers dropping off.

"She had done a wonderful job but it just needed a refresh."

The couple have plenty of pedigree that made them ideally placed for the role, having done a range of charity work and volunteered in India on and off for eight years.

Lucy said: "It's like everything we are used to doing so it was a no brainer to take it on."

Though they had not lived in Swinnow before, Lucy said that they felt it could do with their help as they discovered the scale of issues faced including unemployment, social isolation, anti-social behaviour, single parent families and drug use.

Lucy said: "There's very little hope in this area. We wanted to provide a place that would get people out of their houses."