Award-winning partnership gives kids in Beeston a place to play

Yorkshire Contemporary and Rowland Road Working Men’s Club teamed up to create Rowland Road Play Patch with a grant from our Leeds Civic Trust Community Fund. 

Working to the theme of ‘celebrating place’, the project brought together local communities to transform unused land behind the working men’s club into a vibrant and welcoming public space. 

They engaged with 285 people through play, making and conversation, so they could shape how the space was developed and used. And when it came to making it all happen, people volunteered nearly 2,270 hours to the project. It was a real community effort! 

The finished result is an adventure playground that continues to be shaped by the people who use it. 

It’s open every Saturday for local residents to build, play and plant together. Think open-access adventure play. Building and making dens. Gardening and growing. Arts and crafts. And space to sit, talk and connect. 

And the impact it’s had on the community has been incredible. 

It’s built relationships. Helped people grow in confidence. Given volunteers the opportunity to lead. And created a lasting sense of local ownership. 

So much so, that it was awarded the ‘Inspiring Creativity Through Play, Arts & Culture’ Award at the Child Friendly Leeds Awards 2026.

If you want to talk to us about how you can fund projects like this, get in touch. We’d love to connect.