One month in: How is it going?

We opened our doors on 8th November. Is it really just one month ago? Amani reflects on the time that has passed.

This hasn't all been easy.

Leeds Community Sauna is no longer an idea. It is something that exists. A physical place that you can come to and enjoy, with your mates or alone. This, no doubt, will take some adjustment to get used to for me.

One year in the making

It is really very little time to start a project like this, believe me. From the three of us founders, to our many volunteers, to the folks who offered feedback, advice, and mere good-will, we've made something that's already so special.

This hasn't all been easy. For the last month we have been working extremely hard to get things right. I can't speak for the other founders, but I have found that starting the Sauna has taken its own personal toll. Working 7 day weeks has naturally meant that some of the other areas of my life have felt overlooked. And there is still a way to go with the Sauna.

We have aspirations for:

• Better changing rooms

• Decking as a footway

• An accessibility audit

• A rain proof outdoor area

• More plunges

• More workshops + special sessions (including a mens session)

• More volunteering (community garden anyone?)

• Making the Glade into another third space, with a dancefloor and outdoors activities.

• And more!

There is a teaching in here about finding happiness in the present moment, and in the now. A perfect 'now' will never exist, and we must look at what does exist with gratitude and kindness.

It is difficult, as a perfectionist, to accept that these things will take time, and can't be achieved immediately upon opening. To continue to push myself would risk putting out the flame that led me to start this. There is a teaching in here about finding happiness in the present moment, and in the now. A perfect 'now' will never exist, and we must look at what does exist with gratitude and kindness. I'm expecting that in the new year we will bring on new staff, and things will normalise a little. I will have the time back to see friends and family, go to the cinema, and dance more again!

One month also seems a good marker to reflect on how much we've already achieved:

Our Seccond Sauna to be

• A genuinely beautiful and secluded site.

• The beginnings of real community, with regulars already coming back.

• A fully community funded project - no grants, gifts, or loans.

• An array of amazing workshop leaders who have delivered heartwarming sessions.

• Sold out on every day we've opened.

This last point sounds like a LinkedIn boast, but to me it means that we are really filling a needed gap in people's lives. With our second Sauna well on the way, we are close to allowing even more people to access the warmth, presence, and community that we are offering.

Behind this project, there are many stories.

Behind this project, there are many stories. Stories of pulling together in difficult moments, of new friendships made. 

15 minutes later and everyone in the sauna, strangers who had never met, were signing the harmonies of a hungarian folk song, led by this guy - and a beautiful song at that.

A story that Adrian shared recently: Head down, working hard on a volunteer day, he looked up and realised that the two people he'd asked to help build our showers were getting on with it by themselves. Having never bent a copper pipe, they were now helping build the plumbing system for our whole site. Looking around, it wasn't just them. The site was a hive of activity with 5 teams working on different aspects all at once. People coming together, learning new skills, and making new connections.

I also have a lovely sauna story. I was sitting in the sauna with a group of relative strangers, after I decided to drop in on the last session of the day. One person I had met twice and I knew they were a singer. So as we talked about that, and about our sauna singing sessions, I just asked 'if you sung us something now, what would it be?' His friend said 'oh don't get him started, because he really will sing us something'. Little did they know that was my plan all along. 15 minutes later and everyone in the sauna, strangers who had never met, were signing the harmonies of a hungarian folk song, led by this guy - and a beautiful song at that.

This really is just the start, and I'm so excited to see what evolves with Leeds Community Sauna.