An unforgettable break

Every child is unique and so are the memories they make at Lineham Farm. Some will remember it as their first ever holiday. Others will ride a bike for the very first time. For many, it will be about making new friends, experiencing new things and taking time away from a very challenging and chaotic lives. For all of them, it will be an unforgettable break.

With an abundance of indoor and outdoor activities to choose from, there’s something for every age and ability. Children are encouraged to try arts and crafts, dance and music, orienteering, bush craft skills, climbing, archery, cycling, team games, learning about nature, and much, much more.

Childhood as it should be

Many of the children that come to us have difficult home lives, sometimes they are victims of neglect or abuse. The purpose of our respite breaks is to give them the chance to feel safe, secure and cared for. To experience things that other children often take for granted – proper meals, a clean, warm bed and the chance to play outdoors. And to learn new things, explore their potential and realise their abilities. We give them the opportunity to experience childhood as it should be – FUN!

“I had my own bed. I don’t have one at home.”

Fostering positive values

Independence, adventure, fun, safety and nurturing – these are the things we want the children in our care to experience. They may have had limited exposure to these things before, but with our amazing venue, high-quality facilities, and fantastic team, they’ll certainly leave feeling the positive impact of these.

And the positive values and experiences that they take away don’t leave them. Time and time again, the feedback from teachers, social workers and community-based contacts is that they see improvements in behaviour, learning, concentration, happiness and wellbeing after children have visited us. That’s part of what makes our respite breaks so valuable to the wider community, not just the children we care for.

 

Lineham Farm

See for yourself just what’s on offer at our amazing venue and what makes it the perfect getaway for the most vulnerable children in Leeds.

Explore the farm

Boat breaks

As well as providing respite at our fantastic centre, we can also take children away on our wide beam canal boat, ‘Achieving Together’. This allows them to enjoy a holiday on the Leeds-Liverpool canal where they can prepare meals together, learn how the locks operate and steer the boat.

Other activities

Get Involved

Ways to give

We couldn’t do what we do without the support of fantastic local businesses and individuals like you, and there are loads of ways you can help.

Our impact

Our work doesn’t just benefit a handful of children each year, it benefits the whole community – take a look at the impact of what we do.

Events

There are all sorts of exciting events running throughout the year - take a look at what's coming up and find out how you can get involved.

Stories of support

We’ve been providing respite breaks for over 100 years, supporting tens of thousands of children. To give you a better understanding of who we help, we’ve collated some of their stories. Read our case studies and see for yourself why our work is so important.

Our stories

Volunteer

It’s not just financial support that keeps us going – our volunteers are vital to our mission too. Friends of Leeds Children’s Charity work together to support the future of the charity. If you’re able to donate some of your time or skills, then we’d love to hear from you.

Volunteer

Prioritising the young people most in need

The donations received and funds raised by the charity go towards keeping the costs as low as possible for the children and schools who are most in need. Our work with schools connects young people to free residentials, activities, holidays, and respite.


Our Schools Partnership Scheme reserves bookings for schools from the most disadvantaged areas of the city. These partner schools take priority and charity funds go towards keeping the cost down. The scheme focuses on the children in Leeds most in need of respite.

Find out more

“In every case, the children have come back enthusing about the experiences they have had. If I had not received this positive feedback, I would not have recommended children each year.”

Headteacher

Our work in images

Here’s a small snapshot of what Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm is all about – from the children enjoying our respite breaks, to the fundraising efforts of our supporters, to the school groups that stay at our amazing venue.