What does the Hamara Centre Offer?

• Primary Health Care including a GP's surgery

• Information and Advice

• Respite Care

• Assistance & advice for carers

• Luncheon Club/Hot Meals

• Laundry facilities for clients

• Drop-in facilities

• Recreational & Leisure activities

• Educational & Cultural activities

• Transport to & from the Centre

Vera Media is based at the centre.
Vera offers capacity building courses (using group work and media skills) targeted at a cross-section of the community e.g. teenagers, those who are hard to reach, &c.

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Why do we need the Hamara Centre?

Community consultation has shown that a centre was urgently needed for the Asian community, which makes up 25 % of the local population in the area where Faith Together in Leeds is based.

The UK Asian population has no experience of growing old in this country. The systems for supporting elderly relatives that operate in Bangladesh and Pakistan do not apply or are less relevant to British Society.

Previously existing provision was often culturally inappropriate and did not meet the needs of elders or their carers.

A study carried out by Leeds Metropolitan University for South Leeds Elderly & Community Group found that:

• 92% of asian elders required day care or medical support.

• however:

• 96% did not attend any day care facility.

• 61% stated access to a local facility was essential and even then they would need community transport.

• 86% did not have any day to day health care support at all.

• 80% of carers had no access to respite care or support groups.

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Community Facilities

The project also aims to provide community facilities to be used – out of hours during evenings and weekends – in whatever way the local community wishes to develop them.

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Community Café

As part of the 'Healthy Living and Eating Scheme, the community cafe at Hamara now offers hot and cold meals on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12 noon till 1pm. The cost is £2 per person.

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Last up-dated May 2005.