Testimonials

Hilary Brockway, Practice Manager at North Leeds Medical Practice 

A massive thank you to Rachael at ‘Your Back Yard’ who in the summer of 2024 ran several drop-in sessions at both of our surgeries to support our patients to get on to the NHS App and the system that is used to submit requests for GP support. It has been a huge help as we know that this can be a challenge for some people, and our patients have appreciated the support.

Rachael was able to support people use their own devices to request support online which saves them waiting in a telephone queue or having to come into the surgery. Patients have also benefited from getting onto the NHS App as it is possible to use it to order repeat prescriptions, check test results, access health records and see appointments at the GP and in hospital.

Fran Graham, Operations Manager for BEA/Bramley Lawn/OWLS/UpBEAt:

“Working with ‘Your Back Yard’ has been a really good experience for BEA and OWLS. It’s a partnership. A real partnership. We talk, we throw ideas around, we mix and combine our areas of knowledge and interest, and that’s how we’ve kept improving the projects we’re working on together. The Your Back Yard team are very open to new ways of working, they listen, and act on it. We’re really happy with the partnership project that has created Walking Football games for older people in West Leeds and North West Leeds, it’s been exciting and invigorating to see the players getting a lot out of the sessions, but critically, the process has been really good between us, and we’re learning together all the time.”

Councillor Kevin Ritchie, Councillor for Bramley and Stanningley Ward:

Regarding the Bramley Fall Park Healthy Living Park project:

“It was great to see Bramley Fall Park so busy on a lovely summers day, with a range of activities on offer from Your Back Yard. Lots of fun was had by all, a great family day out, with something for everyone. Days like these are fantastic, bringing the community together and showing what great places parks are. Lots of new friendships were formed and the event hopefully inspired people to enjoy the parks even more.”

“The young children seemed thoroughly engaged in the Gruffalo story time, the woodland setting made the story much more exciting for everybody and will have encouraged more reading and introduced an stimulating environment close to home – bedtime stories will never be the same again!”

Suzanne Hallam, University of Leeds:

“The School of Sociology and Social Policy has been working with Your Back Yard for four years. Your Back Yard has provided our students with opportunities to use and develop a wide range of research and employability skills undertaking projects in the community. This has been really advantageous for our students who have used the experience to enable them to secure employment once they have graduated by allowing them to apply the conceptual knowledge they gain in their degree programmes to real life situations. A number of our students have continued to work with Your Back Yard following completion of their studies. Our School hopes to continue to work with the organisation in the future.”

Tom Armstrong, Service Development Lead for RHEA:

I must say what a pleasure it has been to working with YBY for the last year, yep not the most “normal” of years however you guys have done some phenomenal work and it’s always been a joy to partner with you. You’ve permanently been professional, friendly and always wanting to do the right thing for people, well done from me.” 

Councillor Ralph Berry, Councillor for Wibsey Ward:

“Your Back Yard came in to help local people and elected members to refresh and renew a ‘Friend of’ group that had, over time, become inactive . We invested some ward money into getting Your Back Yard to draw up a plan to involve local people in the revival and renewal of the Friends of Wibsey Park group, by allowing them to bring forward their ideas. We secured new volunteers, a new vision, and a sense of local ownership. Your Back Yard were then asked to develop a new committee, invest money we had gained, and then enter bids for events (which succeeded!). A spectacularly successful bid came off, and we now have a significant sum of money to invest in the park. We also have a renewed body of volunteers, and a viable committee capable of seeking further funding.”

Dave Sandham, Chairman of Friends of Haw Hill Park:

“We engaged Your Back Yard to assist us with reviewing our management and funding options for our local park,  Your Back Yard did an excellent job of surveying our community and local schools and then analysing the data to produce some really useful insights  that have enabled us to progress some key projects in the park. I would happily recommend Your Back Yard and engage them in the future.”

Stuart Logan-Nelson, Digital and Transformation Lead, Central North Leeds Primary Care Network
Modern day primary care is seeing a push towards the use of digital technologies to help patients access services at their local GP surgery. As providers of these services, we do everything we can to promote digital access and to help patients get online, but we are all learning as we go too. This is where the Your Back Yard CIC team, and Rachael in particular, have been invaluable. Rachael has supported two GP practices in our PCN by running digital support sessions for patients. Over May and June 2024 Rachael helped us run 8-10 sessions across 6 sites to provide practical support to patients to help them use digital technologies to access the surgeries, including the NHS App and online consultation system. The support and advice Rachael was able to offer was fantastic; she engaged well with patients to help them get online and set up their phones and tablets to be able to use the digital platforms available to them. It is a real shame the funding for this support has come to an end as it has really helped our patients and communities.

Rachelle Taylor, Wellbeing Team Leader at Springfield Care Home 

Our residents really enjoyed the visits from Rachael at Your Back Yard and began to look forward to her coming every week. They said they had loved learning how to use the tablets and play the games, especially those ones that got them thinking. Throughout the week we spent some time on our Tiny Tablet continuing to use the apps that Rachael had introduced to the residents. Since these sessions have finished, we have bought a couple of handheld tablets and we are still running ‘technology time’ sessions in the same slot, although the residents keep asking if the lady is coming back to do it with us.

Lily Arnold, Centre Co-ordinator at Woodhouse Community Centre (Oblong)

We love working with Your Back Yard, they have given our community incredible opportunities at the centre. The feedback we have from class participants is overwhelmingly positive, and we are so grateful the kids boxercise class is coming back next year thanks to support from YBY. It is one of the most popular activities the centre has! We love working with YBY as they are very flexible and eager to work with the community and collaborate with exciting organisations, and they listen to the needs of the local community first. Basically you’re all legends and I feel so lucky to work with you!

Janet Tasker, Daisyfield Grange:

YBY were able to organise digital sessions with some of our residents. Nothing was too much trouble for Victoria Kyra Lizzie and Olivia and the team. They came and did a series of sessions and worked individually with some of our residents. Everyone that took part was very happy with the sessions and what they got out of them. Their support was fantastic during this time they are a great bunch of people doing a fantastic job in the community.

Feedback from our Yoga Classes at Woodhouse Community Centre:

“love my classes every week, helps me relax and feel centred”

“thank you it is a very nice space and a kind teacher”

“great – really enjoyed the slow calming pace of the class”

“these sessions help me feel warm and relaxed”

“very relaxed, put at ease and well engaged”

“had a fab session the yoga instructor was brilliant with clear instructions”

Feedback from our under 16s Boxercise Classes at Woodhouse Community Centre:

“very good sessions, the class is good for the kids in the local community”

“the classes are amazing and make me feel happy”

“can we do boxing every day”

“my son loves the session, he loves coming”

“a very focused yet relaxing environment”

“the sessions have been amazing and my kids have built so much confidence!”

Barbara Dixon, Participant in Digital Cafes at Daisyfield Grange, now a Digital Champion!

We have really enjoyed the sessions with you and Lizzie. We just about knew the basics, but now we can send photos to friends and relations. Also, we can use apps to catch up on programmes we missed on TV. We can even book doctors’ appointments and use Qr Codes for COVID passes! Each person needed different things and Your Back Yard were very accommodating, making sure we were each learning understanding and improving. Thank you for your time and patience.

Katya, KatsahaYoga, delivered Yoga classes at Oblong Woodhouse Community Centre as a part of our LS6 Activities

I loved having the opportunity of working with Your Back Yard, offering Yoga For All classes from Woodhouse Community Centre & Chair Yoga at Wortley Community Centre.  YBY are friendly & professional & I look forward to working with them again! 

Neil Coulson, Neil Coulson Associates:

“I worked with Your Back Yard (YBY) on a Big Potential-funded project that focused on partnering up with the Cardigan Centre in Leeds to further community regeneration. This involved developing a grassroots partnership to improve health and wellbeing.

YBY is an innovative social enterprise undertaking excellent work to revitalise local neighbourhoods. They have significant expertise in grassroots community development across a range of aspects – environment/use of green space, health, employment etc. They adopt an asset-based approach that recognises and builds on local communities’ strengths and capabilities. They are passionate about their work and committed to the pursuit of excellence in everything they do.”

Liz Parker, Ward Officer for Wibsey and Royds

“Your Back Yard piloting the summer programme really showed how well-used the park could be over summer, to the benefit of people of all ages, especially children and families who might be struggling to find things they can afford for children to do during holidays. The work helped forge relationships that will make it so much easier for the Friends of Wibsey Park to sustain a programme of activities this summer, and hopefully into the future.”

Fathers of children from Brackenhill Primary School:

“It was great fun day with Your Back Yard, and we enjoyed doing different activities in the park with our children. It gave us the opportunity to spend some quality time together, and have fun at the same time. All the activities were well planned and were very interactive.”

Kevin Coombs, Newcastle City Council:

“I just wanted to say a personal thanks for all your help with the Our Place application for Byker Old Town. We just got notification we were successful with our recent bid. Couldn’t have done it without you – so thank you very much!”

Parish Councillor and Chair of Aberford Master Plan Steering Group:

“Tony has been an invaluable source of advice and energy in consulting with the community in Aberford as an integral part of developing our Master Plan. The work he has undertaken has meant we have been able to reach out to the whole community – adults, children, young people, businesses and community groups – in ways we simply do not have the skills to do ourselves.”

Neighbourhood Transformation Manager, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council:

“The team worked collaboratively with residents and key partners to identify their issues and find solutions to ASB in East Herringthorpe. The workshops were facilitated to an excellent standard and the team made the local residents who attended feel very welcome. I would definitely work with them in the future and would highly recommend them!”

Estate Renewal Programme Manager, Community Well-being, Thurrock Council:

“Tony worked diligently in Thurrock to ensure that we got a number of small capital schemes off the ground for local young people. He worked at ease with different age groups and had a good approach with young people in particular.  Highly recommended.”

Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Coordinator, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council:

“Tony facilitated a lively debate with residents in relation to planning the projects, he displayed a sound knowledge of local issues and kept the group focussed and engaged throughout.  The chosen projects will deliver a real solution to the problems of anti-social behaviour in the area.”

Jen Vinton, Your Homes Newcastle:

“It was lovely to work with Your Back Yard. They were quickly able to grasp what we needed for this project and provided some very useful feedback on our proposals as well as helpful suggestions for moving forward.

The project was delivered in tight timescales and the presentation and final report were well received”.

Rev. Chris Pearson, Church of the Ascension, Easington Colliery:

“Robin and the team provided a detailed and robust assessment of the options for our church building, and provided a range of interesting proposals.  They have given us a lot of food for thought.”