Oblong's Member Projects

Bandstand is an inner city allotment site just to the north of Leeds
City Centre in West Yorkshire, UK. Rather then following the
traditional UK allotment model of a completely managed, grid
orientated plot system we have a patchwork of plots being worked to
produce vegetables interspersed with communal and wildlife-friendly

The site forms part of Woodhouse Ridge, a small urban forest, formerly
Victorian parkland. As a result the site is very rich in wildlife and
native species. Due to careful management in recent years there has

The Brudenell Entertainments Committee was formed in 2005 to assist this non-profit, member-run bar and venue in times of noise complaints and financial difficulty. To date the group has raised more than £20,000 with the help of Oblong, Awards For All and the local music and arts community.

brudenell social club website

Chickmanchick is a young non-profit film collective, formed in 2007. One of our first projects is a documentary based around the LS6 'DIY' music scene.

Chickmanchick website

The Circles Project is developing a city wide user-led Befriending/buddying service for people who have mental health issues. A buddy will support people to access groups in other mental health facilities and/or mainstream activities in the community.

The service will eventually inreach into hospital wards, day hospitals, day centres and medical centres. Our aim is to help individuals who want to move on, but would find it difficult to leave their existing service without support.

Common Conversation offers free conversational English classes to asylum seekers and people of refugee status. We meet every Saturday from 12 - 4pm. We also meet on Tuesdays 5 - 7pm for conversation, tea and coffee. Oblong has helped them secure funding, recruit volunteers, design publicity and even plan some of the lessons!

Unfortunately, Crank no longer runs.

If you are looking for help with bicycle problems, you could try Pedallers' Arms

A magazine showcasing artwork from Leeds mental health service users. Full colour and free, distributed to mental health services in Leeds.

Regular hand-drumming sessions in Oblong, on Tuesday evenings. Email marionsmall@gmail.com for more details.

Runs a weekly drop-in arts centre based at Lincoln Green.
Supports people and groups to pursue arts projects in film, writing, scrip-writing as well crafts, music and social based art.

The Burley & Hyde Park food co-op was previously based at Oblong, but unfortunately it stopped running in 2009.

The food co-op worked by purchasing bulk quantities of healthy, environmentally friendly food direct from local wholesalers to sell on at cost price, allowing members to eat healthily on a budget.

There are plans afoot to start up a new, re-vamped food co-op so if you are interested please get in touch!

A bit of history: The previous food co-op ran successful bulk orders from a member's living room for a couple of years. Grants from the Scarman Trust's Community Champions Fund allowed for a stocked cupboard shop, and coincided with a move to Oblong. The food co-op stopped running in 2009.