The Hunslet Club Summer Gala is an annual event here in South Leeds. This event was due to take place on 22 July this year, however, due to unfortunate weather, they had to postpone the Summer Gala until last Saturday (2 September 2023). This time the sun shone to brighten the day for the community.
The new date did not stop the club’s team. The day for the community began at 12pm, with volunteers, coaches and staff rallying around from as early as 9am to help set up and organise the rides, stalls, and attractions. There was something for all ages, from the popular barbecue stand to indoor showcases, stalls, rides and more.
The South Leeds community cheered on the live performances, as talented young people from the club showed their talents. Gymnastics, dance, hip-hop, cheer, ballet, boxing, majorettes and the Hunslet Rogues showcased their skills, and the audience was blown away by the talent, skill and commitment shown by everyone who participated.
Alongside the excitement of the showcases, the club also hosted mini-football tournaments, alongside an award ceremony where young people were recognised for their sportsmanship, commitment, hard work, and progression.
Football, Rugby, showcases, and stalls weren’t the only attractions of the day, as the Green Power Ranger and Spiderman made an appearance! Other attractions included a hook-a-duck stall, inflatables, a fun house, a candy floss machine, a face painting stall, a bun sale, and henna art, alongside our beloved tombolas, where all the prizes went home with excited recipients.
Young people and families walked away with tombola winnings, raffle prizes and giant teddies, and overall, the event was a success. The atmosphere was remarkable throughout the day, and The Hunslet Club has shown what the community means to them.
The funds raised throughout the day at the Summer Gala go back into the running of the club, with some stalls raising money for a set section.
We want to take a moment to thank our incredible team of volunteers, sports sections, staff, community, and local councillors for attending this event. We can’t begin to describe how much time and effort goes into this event, especially after the initial date was postponed. It was all hands-on deck to make this event as fun and memorable as possible for every family and young person that attended. We are incredibly proud of our team, who helped make this day a success. At its peak, there were over 1,500 visitors at our Summer Gala, and our team of volunteers and staff managed to make this day special for them.
We could not have done this event without such a strong and supportive community. Thank you.
Now, it’s time to plan the next event! Keep your eyes peeled for the latest news on The Hunslet Club Facebook page.
This post was written by Lisa Benfield
All photos: The Hunslet Club
We encourage anyone living or working in South Leeds to use this website to tell their news. You can either use the Create an article for South Leeds Life page, or email us at: info@southleedslife.com
While you’re here, can we ask a favour?
South Leeds Life is published by a not-for-profit social enterprise. We keep our costs as low as possible but we’ve been hit by increases in the print costs for our monthly newspaper – up 83% in the last 12 months.
Could you help support local community news by making a one off donation, or even better taking out a supporters subscription?
Donate here, or sign up for a subscription at bit.ly/SLLsubscribe
