'We felt so isolated'

After the loneliness of lockdown, two 14-year-olds, Nathan Campbell and Ronnie Walters, pledged to bring people together. The result is a King's Trust award-winning hub that has become the heart of their Kommunity

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When Nathan Campbell and Ronnie Walters entered Year 7 at Dixons Unity Academy in Armley, Leeds, secondary education was very different to how they pictured it.

It was 2020 and as the country was placed on lockdown they were sent home, stuck trying to continue their education, make new friends and adjust to a new environment.

The experience was so and isolating that when they were challenged to devise an ethical business as part of their business studies BTEC in Year 9, the pair knew what to do: create a place that brings people together.

The Unity Community was born, initially in their school’s unused woodworking room, and as it grew, they used the old library.

Two years on, it’s a thriving hub that opens its doors every Friday to mothers and babies, fellow students, and anyone who wants company.

Tea and coffee are on offer, along with free food donated by Aldi and Morrisons, while Greggs provides pastries. There are toys for little ones and a uniform and clothes swap.

It’s the kind of place that every community needs, and it was conceived by two young men with a sense of empathy and awareness that is far beyond their, now, 16 years.