Asha Neighbourhood Project, one of Leeds’ longest-standing women’s centres, celebrated its 40th anniversary with a moving community celebration that brought together four decades of stories, struggle and solidarity.

More than 150 guests, including the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Dan Cohen, councillors and members of the wider community, gathered on Monday 24th November to honour an organisation that has been transforming the lives of South Leeds women since 1985.

The event was warm, emotional and intergenerational.

Women who first walked through Asha’s doors in the late 1980s stood alongside young people now accessing the centre’s support, sharing memories of English classes, preschool sessions, health workshops and the friendships that carried them through difficult years.

A series of speeches and video reflections traced Asha’s journey from a modest drop-in for South Asian women facing language and cultural barriers to a vital frontline charity supporting women from across the world who now call Leeds home.

Among the stories was a powerful personal testimony from Alia Nessa, CEO of Asha, who attended Asha as a teenager, and now leads the charity. Her journey embodies the organisation’s impact.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Dan Cohen, delivered an uplifting address on the empowerment of women, praising Asha’s “remarkable resilience and service to those who need it most.”

Local councillors, who have long championed the centre, echoed his message, emphasising Asha’s role as a safe, trusted space for women navigating poverty, isolation, and inequality.

Former Lord Mayor of Leeds, Cllr Abigail Marshall Katung, offered one of the day’s most resonant contributions, speaking about the indispensable work of the third sector and the urgency of investing in women-led organisations working with marginalised communities. 

Her words drew loud applause: “Without groups like Asha, far too many women would be left unseen, unheard, unsupported.”

Although unable to attend, Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, a longstanding supporter of Asha, sent a video message paying tribute to the organisation’s decades of commitment to South Leeds.

As the celebrations drew to a close, thanks were offered to the many hands that have sustained Asha across 40 years, its staff, trustees, volunteers, partners and sponsors, and to the women who have walked through its doors seeking support.