Building community,
Equipping individuals,
Strengthening families.
OUR TIMELINE
Our first session with 16 children. Kidz Klub Allerton launched by Janet Nicholson and a team of five volunteers.
We recruited our first employee! Now a registered charity with a board of trustees. New kids’ activities and partnering with local schools.
Our first significant grant: The Big Lottery – Reaching Communities funded us £484,000. More staff, more kids, youth & community services!
Launched our employment support programme; the catalyst for our Social Enterprise model, supporting people and generating income.
Kidz Klub Allerton became Rooted In. With this we underwent a re-vision and established a new strategy for the coming years.
We launched Rooted In Homes: our community-led housing project. With seed funding from Homes England, we aim to build 23 high-quality, affordable homes on a derelict plot. We’ll use local trades and create training opportunities.
OUR PROJECTS
Champion Kids
Champion Kids is our after school fun-filled and action-packed programme for primary aged children. We have numerous groups running throughout the week from gardening, cooking, sports, nature and crafts. During our sessions, we have ‘Connect Time’ where children can share their highs and lows of the day. Our groups are small-scale (15-25 children per group), community based spaces where children are nurtured and encouraged to thrive in creative ways. All our activities are led by an amazing team of local volunteers and young people.
The focus of Champion Kids is to give children new experiences, have fun, make new friends and help them become Community Changers.
Youth Work
Our activities work with young people to explore the fullness of life and opportunities that await them. It provides an opportunity to get together, share opinions and talk about issues that they are facing. It helps them realise their value and worth, have the resilience and confidence to make positive choices and it equips them to play their part in building community. It builds strength of character, self-worth, resilience and respect.
School Work
The local schools are hubs to our community. We work closely with pastoral and senior leadership teams to support children and young people, bridging school, community and home. We deliver assemblies, small groups and one-to-one targeted interventions. On top of this, we deliver several courses that cover mental wellbeing, personal and social development.
Therapeutic Services
We offer a 1:1 therapy service that supports young people who have experienced trauma and significant life events. Our 1:1 therapy sessions are offered by our Art Psychotherapist who works with young people and families in schools and in the local community. We are working to shape this service with the expertise of pastoral staff in schools, parents and young people within the community.
Social Enterprises
Coffee shop, event catering and a bakery! By harnessing the power of business, training and a supportive work environment, we help those who want to take steps towards long-term employment to achieve their goal. Placements are flexible and provide a high level of personal development, thus building confidence, skills and aspiration.
Rooted In Homes
Developing a brave and bold alternative to meet local housing needs. Working with Leeds Community Homes, we are developing a Community-Led Housing model that creates affordable homes and aspirational spaces.
Allerton Lower Grange Network
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. A network of local organisations, service providers and individuals who are all committed to communicating, co-operating and collaborating to create the greatest opportunities and provision for our community.
The Old Vicarage
We’re in the process of transforming The Old Vicarage Allerton into our new headquater. A space for community, joy & laughter and a place to call home for everyone that is part of this beautiful community. For more details check the link below…
Tina's Story
'I felt like I was
healing...'
From losing her son, being held by pain and sorrow, to finding hope for herself and her whole community.
We connected with Tina through her joining our cook & eat programme. We saw Tina’s potential, and she ran with every opportunity to grow, heal, overcome her fears and step into her future. Tina now works over at Sugar Snap Kitchen social enterprise helping train up new team members as well as volunteering back in Allerton with a number of our activities for kids and families.
We connected with Tina through her joining our cook & eat programme. We saw Tina’s potential, and she ran with every opportunity to grow, heal, overcome her fears and step into her future. Tina now works over at Sugar Snap Kitchen social enterprise helping train up new team members as well as volunteering back in Allerton with a number of our activities for kids and families.
Ruby & Rayya
'A lifeline for my girls'
Legacy has been nothing short of a lifeline for my girls Ruby & Rayya. The girls look forward to their weekly session. The group has allowed my girls a safe space to express their fears and worries as well as their happier thoughts and feelings.
The girls have an extremely unpredictable life: their sister Ameeliah suffers with a life-limiting condition and is often very poorly. We have experienced many episodes recently where we are close to losing her & Kate has been there for the girls as well as myself offering support. This is invaluable to us. It brings me much comfort to know that Legacy is there for us all.
Ruby and Rayya have the chance to be like any other 13-year-olds just for a short time, and do not have the pressures of being young carers.
Legacy have been there for my girls and I in our darkest times and have helped us through. We are as a family eternally grateful.
The girls have an extremely unpredictable life: their sister Ameeliah suffers with a life-limiting condition and is often very poorly. We have experienced many episodes recently where we are close to losing her & Kate has been there for the girls as well as myself offering support. This is invaluable to us. It brings me much comfort to know that Legacy is there for us all.
Ruby and Rayya have the chance to be like any other 13-year-olds just for a short time, and do not have the pressures of being young carers.
Legacy have been there for my girls and I in our darkest times and have helped us through. We are as a family eternally grateful.
- Lucy Hussain (mum)
Connor
'From school exclusions to student of the year'
At the age of 8 Connor came to our large weekly kids programme, Kidz Klub. Over the years we supported him in and out of school. But ultimately, he struggled to engage well with his peers, education and the challenges he faced at home.
This led to him leaving school and ending up in a Pupil Referral Unit. At this time Josiah and Kate had just made a start on their self-build and he asked to help one day… three years in he decided to pursue further education in plumbing which Rooted In supported him into. Through the build process and mentoring his confidence and aspirations increased and he won student of the year at Leeds Building College.
Today he is in full-time employment with a mortgage, fixing up his own house.
chief executive
officer
officer
Josiah joined the staff team leading up the organisation in 2011. During this time he has overseen the growth of the organisation and team developing the charity, refining the vision and creating a culture which enables the team to thrive. Josiah currently takes direct responsibility for Rooted In Homes and the ongoing ‘big picture’ development, creating a model for grassroots community empowerment. Outside of work he enjoys a good bike ride and planning the next big idea, currently: it’s a treehouse for his daughter.
Programme
Manager
Manager
Kate pioneered the charity back in 2003 with her mum and became the first employee in 2008. With a background in working with children, young people and families, she is passionate about working with and supporting those deemed most vulnerable and on the fringes of society. Kate co-leads the organisation with her husband Josiah, overseeing the strategic and operational development of the charity. Kate loves to be active, enjoying bike riding, swimming and spending as much time as she can with her daughter.
social enterprise
lead
lead
Working with the core team, Tom takes a lead with all our social enterprise ventures. This covers a wide range of responsibilities involved in starting up and sustaining a profitable business. However, his primary focus is on building team, supporting them through our personal development programme and helping them take bold steps towards employment and a career. Tom’s been a season ticket holder for Valley Parade for far too many years to count, so handles disappointment well…
Finance & Business
support
support
Jayne joined the team with a long career working within the banking sector specialising in IT and management. She’s very much the backbone of the organisation, creating systems and processes that enable us to be nimble and creative in our response to the ever-changing needs and challenges we encounter. Jayne has taken on a new role applying her skills to launching Rooted In Homes. In her spare time Jayne can be found exploring the trails and lanes walking Peggy, her borrowed dog!
Community Outreach Worker
Steffen, originally from Germany moved with his family to the UK in 2019 to become a youth pastor. He joined the Rooted In team in 2022 to become our Community Outreach Worker. Pairing his qualifications and experience with his big heart for people, Steffen is a natural fit within the Rooted In team and Allerton community. He loves to spend time with his family, enjoys great coffee and supports Liverpool Football Club.
trauma therapist
Belinda joined the Team in 2024. She’s worked in the mental health sector since 2016 after graduating from Leeds Beckett as a Art Trauma Therapist (MA). Having immigrated to the UK from South Africa as a child, she’s experienced the challenges of the British school systrem first hand. These experiences have given her a heart and passion to help children and familes with their mental health and trauma. She loves surfing, does martial arts and supports a local hedgehog rescue charity.
Lucy is our chair and has been a trustee since 2018. During the day, Lucy works for Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, having background in governance and regulation, she juggles two children, two cats and prosecco.
Philippa is a local parish priest and joined the team in 2022. She has spent the last 4 years working on the Holmewood estate, with churches and local charities to support and empower people, and loves to see the change that happens when people come together to make a difference.
Aidan joined the team after being a supporter of Rooted-in for many years. Previously working in the private sector focusing on Wealth Management and now managing the Partnership team of an international charity. Aidan enjoys playing sports and says it’s the key to his mental health with having a tribe of kids.
Kathryn is a local resident and retired teacher with a strong understanding of the importance of supporting vulnerable and marginalised communities through holistic, community-based approaches. She has been involved with the charity since its inception as a founding trustee. Outside of her trustee role, Kathryn is a grandmother of six and enjoys walking, reading, gardening, and spending time with friends—especially when it includes food and pub quizzes!
Paul has a strong background in fundraising and marketing, with a degree in marketing and an MBA. He has driven strategic growth for a local charity, leading successful fundraising across individual giving, major donors, and corporate partnerships. His leadership spans key projects and operations, with a strong commitment to supporting children and families facing adversity.
Rooted In is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity No. 1184481.
Address: The Old Vicarage. 46 Ley Top Lane. Bradford. BD15 7LT
Email: hello@rootedin.org
Phone: 01274 752285
© Rootedin CIO
Website design by Graphically Gifted