Our Story
who we are • what we believe • what we do
A space designed for quiet community, yoga, wellness and creativity. Inclusive by design, founded by an autistic woman. Everyone is welcome.
Catherine’s Place is an inclusive space for quiet community, wellness and creativity. We fill a gap in Central Leeds by being an inclusive space by design, a space that is truly neurodiverse-friendly.
Designed as a multi-use space, we have a yoga studio with weekly classes, workshops on a range of topics from crafting to wellness, and a quiet lounge and coffee bar. The open social space offers coffee and snacks, regular clubs and events, co-working hours, local artwork and crafts, and a space for alcohol-free social evenings.
Everyone working at Catherine's Place has a deep commitment to inclusion and many of us have experience of living with fluctuating mental health and finding solace through creativity and movement.
The yoga class and creative workshop timetable is supported by an amazing local network of qualified yoga instructors, creatives, artists, educators and wellness practitioners.
About our founder
Hi, I'm Catherine - an autistic 30-year-old woman from Leeds.
I've grown up, worked, studied and lived in Leeds for most of my life. Leeds is great! But, for me, it's always been missing something: welcoming and inclusive social spaces that stay open in the evenings (when all the cafes close) - somewhere else to go that doesn't involve sticky alcohol venues or a pricey meal in a restaurant.
The idea for Catherine's Place sprang from two things I love: travel and teaching yoga. I was on a wintery adventure in Sweden with my partner Ryan when my speedy, messy mind became fixated on an idea: that the calming, design-first spaces and yoga studios in Scandinavia could come to Leeds - and that I am the person to do it.
Inclusion is a part of everything I do. While working in education, I've championed accessibility and diversity, the highlight of which has been the sell-out workshops I run on autism awareness at the University of Leeds. I teach yoga and craft workshops with the aim to help calm busy minds (which I know very well as an autistic person). And Catherine's Place will be inclusively designed from the beginning (rather than as an afterthought), to reduce overstimulation and be a welcoming space for everyone.
I also believe in kindness and fairness. Although Catherine's Place is registered as a limited company, it is run as a social enterprise. As founder, these are my steadfast commitments:
Create an inclusive space for all - one that is inclusively designed, alcohol-free and overstimulation-free.
Ensure Catherine's Place is a good place to work, with fair wages (paying above the Real Living Wage), reasonable hours, a supportive culture and advocacy for personal development.
Provide opportunities for local creatives and yoga teachers through regular workshops, classes and pop-up events.
Partner with local start-ups and small businesses for our coffee, cakes and mini shop.
Ensure Catherine's Place meets the highest possible standards of ethics and sustainability, including: avoiding the use of single-use plastics; recycling; and sourcing equipment and supplies from local companies with sound eco and ethical credentials wherever possible.
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