OUR STORY

  • 1996

    LIHH officially constituted on 16 January 1996

    Nine months pilot funding granted from Leeds City Council to employ a project development manager

    We move into our Roundhay Road offices

    Our first development of eight units of supported housing in partnership with the Ridings Housing Association comes on-stream

    Our first tenant moves in

  • 1997

    The Commission for Racial Equality launched its historic report ‘Green White and Invisible: Discrimination and the Irish Community in Britain’

    16 further tenancies acquired through Leeds City Council

    We hold our first LIHH Christmas party at Leeds Irish Centre

    Annual turnover reaches £36,500

  • 1998

    LIHH releases its own 'Green, White & Invisible' report advocating for culturally sensitive services for Irish people in Leeds

    Our tradition of sending cards to clients for birthdays, St Patrick's Day and Christmas begins

    32 more tenancies acquired through Leeds City Council

  • 1999

    Office move - although still on Roundhay Road

    First outreach worker appointed funded through the Irish Government and the Church Urban Fund

    Team leader post facilitated by Tudor Trust funding in order to manage a growing service

  • 2000

    12 more tenancies secured through various housing associations

    LIHH joined the Federation of Irish Societies’ campaign for an 'Irish' category in the 2001 UK census

  • 2001

    First client holiday to Ballinrobe, Co.Mayo

    Our Friday Luncheon Clubs begins

    Premiere of our promotional video ‘A Long Way From Home’ 

  • 2002

    LIHH introduces Care, Culture & Community as central tenets

    Carers trip to Dublin

    We publish the ‘Diggin’ Deeper’ report on health inequalities faced by the Irish community in Leeds

  • 2003

    Annual turnover reaches £500,000

    Davitt House, a multiple-occupancy property in Headingley for older Irish people, is transferred to LIHH’s ownership from the Davitt House Trust

    We take clients on holiday to Enniscrone, Co. Sligo 

  • 2004

    Ambassador of Ireland, Daithí O’Ceallaigh, visits the LIHH offices

    LIHH awarded £100,000 from National Lottery heritage funding for a Leeds Irish photography project 

  • 2005

    Senior Executive Team developed and introduced with CEO, Director of Operations and Finance and Business Manager roles

    We create our second business plan

  • 2006

    President of Ireland Mary McAleese visits to celebrate our 10th anniversary in Leeds

    Leeds Irish photography project ‘Róisín Bán’ launches and is exhibited at the European Parliament in Brussels

    Leeds Irish Professional Network launches 

  • 2007

    Turnover reaches £1 million

    Shawl Project created through the Let’s Knit Group

    Leeds Irish Professionals Network raises £5,000 for LIHH with a St Patrick’s Day ball

    LIHH attends historic simultaneous address of the House of Commons and House of Lords by Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern 

  • 2008

    Financial crash creates uncertainty

    ‘Older Irish People’s Experiences of Health & Social Care Services in Leeds’ report released 

    Client holiday to Enniscrone, County Sligo

  • 2009

    Investors in People Award

    Ireland Fund of Great Britain award £25,000 for feasibility study on Extra Care Housing Scheme for Older Irish People in Leeds

    We start our Walking Group

  • 2010

    LIHH named as the Lord Mayor of Leeds’ official charity

    St Patrick’s Day ball held at Leeds Rhinos Stadium

    Davitt House extensively refurbished 

  • 2011

    First Dementia Support Worker appointed

    We received £35,000 as the nominated charity for the Lord Mayor of Leeds for 2010

    LIHH receive the Best Float award at Leeds’ St Patrick’s Day Parade! 

  • 2012

    We achieve the Investors in People Gold Standard award

    Construction firm Laing O’Rourke donates £6,500 after meeting with LIHH 

  • 2013

    The Irish Post supports our client holiday to Ballina, Co Mayo, with a £5,000 donation 

    As part of the Positive Pathways consortium, we made a successful bid for dedicated mental health housing support workers

  • 2014

    We hold our first Tea Dance

    Further refurbishment works at Davitt House increases capacity from six to ten tenancies 

  • 2015

    LIHH CEO and Chair attend the first Global Irish Civic Forum in Dublin

    Ambassador of Ireland Dan Mulhall visits Leeds to celebrate second Investors in People Gold Award

    As part of the Connect for Heath consortium, we start to provide social prescribing services in South Leeds

    We receive the Volunteer Kitemark award 

  • 2016

    We celebrated our 20th anniversary

    Our dementia home care ‘Aran’ service began

    ‘The Importance of Being Irish’ dementia research launched

  • 2017

    A challenging period of funding cuts and staff losses after a redesign of Leeds’ mental health support services results in Positive Pathways losing its contract

    LIHH agrees to a request for CEO support from Irish Community Care Manchester

    Ant Hanlon, CEO of Leeds Irish Health and Homes, speaks at the opening session of the Global Irish Diaspora Civic Forum in Dublin 

  • 2018

    Ciaran Cannon, Minister for the Diaspora, visits Leeds

    Irish Northern Partnership (now Fréa) is established to raise funds for LIHH, Irish Community Care and Irish Community Care Manchester

    LIHH fundraising dinner dance, attended by Ambassador Adrian O’Neill, raises £7,500

  • 2019

    As part of the Linking Leeds consortium, LIHH wins a bid to deliver social prescribing across the city

    We make a successful bid to provide arts and mental health support as part of the Live Well Leeds network

    The Trojan Donkey poetry anthology, co-edited by Ian Duhig FRSL, is featured in The Irish Times

    LIHH fundraising dinner dance raises £12,000 

  • 2020

    Alongside 25 other Irish community groups, we join the Leeds Irish Communities Association emergency response to COVID-19.

    We deliver the first ‘Craic Packs’ to isolated clients. Our community’s efforts at this time of unprecedented need is an incredible example of care, culture and community in action.

    Our digital inclusion project begins, funded by the National Lottery’s COVID-19 response fund 

  • 2021

    25th anniversary celebrated online with the launch of our lockdown poetry anthology Corona Ceoil, edited by Ian Duhig FRSL

    CEO Ant Hanlon celebrates 25 years with LIHH

    LIHH undergoes a rebrand, including a new logo and website

  • 2022

    25+1 Anniversary Celebration at Left Bank, Leeds

    Fréa Women of Irish Heritage Network launches on International Women’s Day in Manchester

    The Enhance Project helps its first patients home from hospital in a safe and supported manner

    Reaching Communities National Lottery funding awarded for three years to support the CARA project 

  • 2023

    Fréa begins supporting former residents of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Homes through the Fréa Renewing Roots service

    LIHH Commitment (five year strategy with a focus on community engagement) launches

    Karen Mallon, Director of Operations, celebrates 25 years with LIHH

  • 2024

    LIHH invited to Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace 

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn visits LIHH 

    Big Irish Breakfasts take place all over the world to raise funds for Fréa

    We sell our first items of Leeds Irish branded clothing

    Caroline Murphy celebrates 25 years with LIHH

  • 2025

    LIHH invited to attend the first ever St Patrick’s Day celebration at 10 Downing Street

    Fréa’s inaugural St Patrick’s Day Ball raises £57,000 

    We purchase office premises in Harehills, Leeds - our first permanent home in almost 30 years. Plans to create a new community space are underway!

Our beginning

Since we were established in 1996, Leeds Irish Health and Homes has been a voice for the Irish community in Leeds - a group with its own rich cultural identity and unique needs.

In 1998, we co-authored the groundbreaking Green, White and Invisible report, shining a light on the inequalities many Irish people in Leeds face, and calling for culturally sensitive support services.

We’ve spent every year since building those services - and more.

From Luncheon Clubs and Tea Dances to digital inclusion projects, intergenerational activities, and dementia support groups, our work is rooted in care, culture and community. We also manage 53 tenancies across the city, helping our tenants live safely, comfortably and independently.

Our evolution

The Irish community in Leeds is long-established, but its needs are constantly changing.

Some older members now face health challenges or isolation. Younger generations may be juggling financial pressures, caring responsibilities or navigating cultural identity. 

We know that a key part of our role is listening, learning and evolving our support in order to keep meeting the needs of the people we serve.

Looking ahead

As we approach our 30th anniversary, our vision for the future is brighter than ever.

In 2025, we reached a major milestone - buying our first office premises and making a permanent home for ourselves in the city. We're also proud to be part of Fréa, a powerful partnership with Irish Community Care and Irish Community Care Manchester, working together to transform Irish lives across the North of England.

In the words of the Irish proverb, “Ní neart go cur le chéile” – There is no strength without unity.

Our people

A chara,

As Chief Executive of Leeds Irish Health and Homes, I’m privileged to work with a thoroughly professional and dedicated team of staff, trustees and volunteers. 

To see our team at work is to see care, culture and community in action. They’re true professionals and specialists within their field of work, but their actions are also rooted in a deep affinity with the Leeds Irish community. You can’t pretend that kind of warmth and generosity of spirit - at Leeds Irish Health and Homes, it’s something we all really feel. 

The support we offer is personalised, inclusive and has a tangible impact on community members’ physical wellbeing, mental health and happiness. “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here” is something that I’ve heard said several times over the years - and I know it to be true. 

If you’d like to find out more about working with us, check our News page for any current vacancies, or see how you can get involved with supporting us here. We’d love to hear from you. 

Is mise le meas,

Ant Hanlon 
Chief Executive

“You are so supportive and caring. I feel like I belong whenever I go to a group or event.”

Service user, Leeds