L&MFS Mission Statement
Leeds & Moortown Furniture Store exists as a practical demonstration of Christian commitment to socially and economically disadvantaged people. Our mission is to relieve poverty by distributing donated furniture.
As much a part of Moortown Baptist Church as anything else we do the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store this year is well on the way to clocking up four decades of helping people in need. Still, however, there is still much confusion and dare we say a little ignorance.
That’s because from its roots here in 1986 until today there has been an unbroken chain: from Hilary Willmer right the way through to today’s Chair of trustees and two serving board members, the names of MBC and L&MFS have been synonymous. In fact John Gamson, who until he retired last July had been the charity’s General Manager for well over ten years. This of course prompted the arrival of a new manager, Hannah Metcalf, who has joined us with over twenty years’ experience of working in the charity sector and who from what we have already seen appears to have lots of new ideas in her locker.
Funding, of course is always difficult. That’s why a number of years ago and in response to an urgent request from Leeds City Council the Store set up a trading arm – a social enterprise called LMFS Trading Ltd which sources new furniture and white goods. To keep the whole thing going and as a massive part of the charity’s funding strategy LMFS Trading Ltd also pays over a management charge and any profit it may happen to make.
So what does L&MFS actually do? Well, to put it bluntly it cares for people and it protects the environment. It is based in a 10,000 square foot warehouse at Seacroft from where it runs two charity vans (supplied by LCC) and its own trading van. It employs a total of six people and enjoys the services of three full time volunteers. It receives a grant from LCC which when combined with the trading company’s management charge just about covers the annual running costs.
As you can imagine dealing with any local authority is never easy, particularly when your total annual grant is near to £80,000. However, we’re pleased to say that after a long, long wait LCC did eventually pay their 2022/23 dues in full. But alas that doesn’t help with bringing in stock: the sofas, tables, chairs, wardrobes, beside cabinets, beds, mattresses, cutlery, crockery etc. etc… things that you and I take for granted but for some are absolute luxuries. No! that’s where we rely on you.
If you have any furniture which you are due to replace please give us a call on 0113 2739727 or drop us an email at info@leedsandmoortown.org.uk and we’ll be glad to arrange for one of our teams to call round and collect it. There is of course also our website www.leedsandmoortown.org.uk which gives you much more detail of the way we work.
Over the years we have tried out quite a number of catchy straplines including Addressing the needs of the people in Leeds, and alongside an image of a young girl with a baby staring through a window Help us turn this house into a home but with little success. That’s why now, at the start of a new year we are reaching out to you.
Don’t get me wrong, we’re not downhearted and although well down on the past this last year’s stats were nevertheless still good i.e. to the clients of more than 50 or so voluntary and statutory agencies, and in a totally non-discriminatory way L&MFS completed 780 deliveries, made up of 4,970 separate items. That’s 4,970 items that if we hadn’t been there may well have ended up either being incinerated or buried in landfill.
So the next time someone asks you if the Leeds and Moortown Furniture Store still has anything to do with MBC you can say with pride yes – for nigh on forty years.
