Get Set for activity in Holbeck and Beeston Hill

Summer gave the Get Set Leeds Local team a chance to get out to some of the many community events to have some fun, but also listening.

We’re always keen to understand what are the real things getting in the way of people being active, and what your solutions are to help local people move more. We’re then always keen to work together with residents, local groups and people from across Leeds City Council to see which ones we can collectively develop.

We understandably heard lots about the cost of living and that increasingly for many accessing kit and equipment for sport and fitness can feel out of reach. Last year Get Set Leeds Local joined forces Yorkshire Sport Foundation with Zero Waste Leeds. Together for Sport was launched, to help create more sustainable environmental living, whilst also supporting more people access equipment.

Together For Sport are aiming to make it easy for people to share sports kit – whether that’s football boots, running shoes or cricket bats. Friends of Get Set Leeds Local, The Recovery Runners, took in donations of running shoes, and not only distributed to people accessing their sessions have also supported individuals from a number of other Get Set Leeds Local projects.

Junior Parkrun at Cross Flatts Park will be joining others for a one-off donation at a date TBC in October, specifically asking at these events for donations of good quality trainers and non-event specific running tops, shorts and leggings. Check our socials for latest details. If you’d like to get more involved as an exchange partner get in touch.

Over summer Get Set Leeds Local have worked with the Watsonian Café managed by Health for All in Cross Flatts Park to help make it an active hub of the park by funding some equipment for free loans. With a deposit you can now borrow tennis rackets, table tennis bats, rounders kit, kwik cricket or boccia. Just pop in and ask them how to borrow during their opening hours. Is there anything else you’d like to see there? Let us know.

Before summer we linked with Leeds Girls Can to hold a “Pop Up Road Show” at Hamara as well as other sites, to help recruit local women for a free female only swim teacher course. In October John Charles Centre for Sport will be launching two new Female Only Swim sessions, with a Leeds Girls Can ambassador at hand to support anyone accessing the session with warm welcomes and providing assistance.

Our summer Cross Flatts Cycle Festival was lots of fun, and great to see so many children (and a few grown ups) getting on a bike, building confidence and having a go at some of the activities. The Big Bike Fix proved busy as people wanted to get their bikes back out and road ready, as well as getting them stamped by Bike Register.

Each week learn to ride, and cycle confidence sessions continue for adults at Cross Flatts. These free City Connect funded sessions delivered by Cycle North can be booked year round online. Bikes are available for those that don’t have their own.

In October we are linking with Cycling UK to run a ride leader course. If you’ve an interest in leading regular local short social led rides and would like a free funded space then get in touch. Once qualified you’d be able to access bikes at Cross Flatts Park for your riders, helping break down the barrier for those that don’t have access to a bike.

Our next Get Set Leeds Local Community Panel meeting will be taking place online on Tuesday 11 October 4:30-5:30pm. At our Community Panels we invite local leaders, volunteers and residents to join us and help shape future elements of Get Set Leeds Local development by creating a bridge between the community and the Sport England funded project. Contact us for the invite details.

Get Set Leeds Local is a Sport England funded project across four communities in Leeds which includes Beeston Hill and Holbeck. It aims to support community ideas which help more people move more. Community Chest Pot of up to £300 available to support community good ideas, along with training to help build community capacity for keeping people moving in South Leeds.

Get in touch for further information. For all updates follow Get Set Leeds Local on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or get in touch via getsetleedslocal@leeds.gov.uk

 

This post was written by Karen Peck