This exciting support will help the club’s official charity to offer more free football sessions for disadvantaged children and young people across Leeds, with the new weekly session being set up in Beeston. The new session runs on Saturday mornings from 10am to 12pm in Cross Flatts Park (Dewsbury Road end) and are open to children aged 8-18 years.
Other local sessions take place at Blenkinsop Field, Acre Road, Middleton on Mondays, 4-6pm; Holbeck Community Centre MUGA on Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm; South Leeds Youth Hub, Belle Isle on Wednesdays, 4:30-6:30pm; Hunslet Moor on Thursdays 5-7pm.
The Elland Road restaurant will sponsor the new sessions for a year as well as providing kit and equipment for the young participants to benefit in the new sessions.
The Kicks programmes engages with over 1,000 young people each year through structured football activities, enabling young people to find routes into education, training, and employment through various volunteering opportunities.
Through the sessions, there are marked improvements in young people’s football abilities by simply improving self-confidence alongside peers. The sessions have also been found to support improvements in academic achievements and greater leadership skills.
As part of the new partnership, a free prize draw was organised by the restaurant and the Foundation to promote the new Beeston Kicks sessions at Elland Road, with the winner being announced as Declan Jenkinson who won a signed Leeds United shirt presented by Tom Jamison the Franchisee at McDonald’s Elland Road, whilst runner-up Carla Mallard won two match tickets.
Tom Jamison, Franchisee at McDonald’s Elland Road spoke about the new sponsorship of the Beeston Kicks session, and he said:
“It is a tremendous privilege to collaborate with the Leeds United Foundation and support the Beeston Kicks programme. As a local business, we are deeply rooted in the Beeston community, with many of our Crew Members coming from the area.
“This initiative allows us to give back to our community meaningfully and support the next generation. We are thrilled to provide not only the sponsorship but also the necessary kit and equipment for these sessions. Watching the progress and development of these young participants will undoubtedly be a highlight for us, and we are excited about the positive impact these sessions will have on their lives.”
Rich Foye, Kicks Programme Lead at the Leeds United Foundation added:
“McDonald’s supporting a PL Kicks program in Beeston is a great investment in the community. The project offers to provide opportunities for young people to engage in sports, develop skills, and build positive relationships. It’s wonderful to see businesses getting involved in initiatives that benefit local communities.”
To find out more about the Premier League Kicks programme at the Leeds United Foundation, please contact Kicks@leedsunited.com.
This post is based on a press release issued by Leeds United Foundation
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