Hello, Hunslet Club Community!
Welcome to our August / September newsletter, your go-to source for all things happening at the Hunslet Club. As the summer season ends and our young members get back to school, let’s take a moment to reflect on the highlights.
What a summer we’ve had! Our Summer Holiday Activity Camps were absolutely buzzing with energy, fun, and friendship. We filled 1,150 spaces, giving 760 young people the chance to stay active, creative, and connected throughout the school holidays.
From Dance Camp, Rugby Camp, Football Camp, and Art Camp to our General Activity Camp, there was something for everyone! Young people enjoyed multi-sports, games, baking, arts and crafts, dance, gym play, yoga, movie days, and of course, an epic water fight to make the most of the glorious sunshine!
We’re so proud to have created a safe, exciting space for young people to make memories, build confidence, and have fun all summer long.
This summer, we were proud to take part in the Healthy Holidays initiative, ensuring that children and young people on free school meals had access to nutritious, healthy food throughout the holidays.
Alongside all the fun of our Summer Activity Camps, we made sure that no one missed out on a good meal or the chance to stay active and connected. From hearty lunches and tasty snacks (see below the kids getting involved in preparing the healthy snacks), our kitchen team worked hard to keep everyone fuelled and ready for a day full of games, sports, arts, and fun in the sun!
At The Hunslet Club, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to be healthy, happy, and included, not just during term time, but all year round. 💚
What an incredible Summer Rugby Camp! Day 2 took us on another amazing trip to Hull FC, where our young players got to watch the team’s captain’s run, meet the players, and pick up some inspiring words of wisdom from Super League stars.
The excitement didn’t stop there, we also spent the morning with Hull FC’s Inclusion Team, where our group had the chance to try out wheelchair rugby. It was a phenomenal experience that gave everyone a whole new appreciation for the sport and its incredible inclusivity.
We’re so proud to be able to offer opportunities like this to our young members. Seeing them have fun, stay active, develop new skills, and make new friends is what The Hunslet Club is all about. 💚
A huge thank-you to Hull FC for welcoming us and inspiring the next generation of rugby players!
We’re thrilled to announce that the build of our brand-new £1.2 million 3G pitch at The Hunslet Club is now complete! While our grand opening isn’t scheduled until October, the facility is ready and it’s already looking incredible.
This state-of-the-art pitch, funded through the Football Foundation’s Lionesses Fund, represents a huge step forward for our community. It will provide year-round access to high-quality sports facilities for young people across South Leeds, helping them stay active, develop skills, and enjoy sport in a safe, inclusive environment.
Our new 3G pitch will also boost opportunities for girls and women in football, giving them access to top-quality facilities right here in the heart of the community. Beyond football, it opens the door for a range of multi-sport activities, training sessions, and community events, ensuring that all young people have the chance to thrive.
We’re so proud to see this project come to life after months of hard work, planning, and community support. It’s a real game-changer for local sport and a fantastic addition to our ongoing mission of supporting young people to achieve their full potential.
We can’t wait to officially cut the ribbon in October, open The Hunslet Club Sports Village and welcome everyone to come and see the new pitch in action. Watch this space for updates, events, and opportunities to get involved!
This week, a group of young people from The Hunslet Club’s Fashion Project swapped the classroom for the catwalk, showcasing their incredible work at the prestigious Burberry headquarters in Leeds.
Ten budding designers, all part of the club’s creative arts programme, were invited to give Burberry staff an exclusive preview of the outfits they have been preparing for the club’s upcoming Fashion Show. The visit formed part of the #BurberryInspires initiative, which aims to open doors for young people into the creative industries.
In front of more than 150 Burberry employees, the young designers took to the runway to model their creations before delivering confident presentations about their inspiration, techniques, and design process. For many, it was their first experience speaking in front of such a large audience, a challenge they embraced with style and confidence.
The day also gave the group a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s most iconic fashion brands, inspiring them to think about future careers in design, textiles, and creative media.
Zoe Creasser who facilitates The Fashion Project with the Creative Arts Manager, Josh Parkin, said:
“This was a phenomenal opportunity for our young people. It’s not just about fashion it’s about confidence, teamwork, and developing real-world skills that will stay with them for life. We are hugely grateful to Burberry for supporting our arts projects and for giving our members this unforgettable experience.”
The Fashion Project has been running every Thursday since June as part of The Hunslet Club’s FREE youth club, welcoming young people from 4:30–8:00pm to explore creativity, develop skills, and have fun.
This amazing experience is a shining example of how The Hunslet Club continues to empower young people and give them opportunities to thrive in the arts and beyond.
We were thrilled to welcome the Leeds United Foundation to The Hunslet Club recently to celebrate our ongoing partnership with Leeds United!
It was an unforgettable evening for our youth club members, who had the incredible opportunity to meet Leeds United stars Noah Okafor and Lukas Nmecha. The excitement and smiles were everywhere, our young people absolutely loved it!
This visit was more than just meeting footballers. It was a chance to see professional players supporting our young members and our Youth Organisation and the pathways created, inspiring them to stay active, build confidence, and aim high.
We want to say a huge thank you to Leeds United Foundation and the players for taking the time to connect with our community and show such fantastic support. Moments like this highlight the impact of partnerships and the opportunities they create for young people in South Leeds.
We’re over the moon to announce that Hunslet ARLFC’s U14’s won the Continuation Cup Final for the second year running! A huge congratulations to all our players for their incredible performance and smashing it with a 32–0 victory over Heworth. A big thank you to everyone who helps out and to all the parents and supporters for being the loudest and proudest in the stands. Finally, a massive shoutout to our coaches for devoting their time, energy, and expertise to this amazing team. You should all be very proud.
Huge congratulations to The Hunslet Club Solitaires on becoming Championship Winners in Blackpool this month.
Dinkies: 3rd place, Runner-up Leader of the Year, Runner-up Mascot of the Year
Junior Prem: 2nd place, Champion Mascot
Seniors: 1st place Champions, Champion Leader, Champion Mascot, Runner-up Senior Troupe of the Year, Runner-up Leader of the Year, Runner-up Mascot of the Year
We are so proud of all our performers for their hard work, dedication, and teamwork. What an amazing achievement! Well done to every member, coach, and supporter who helped make this possible, you truly shone on the national stage!
During August and September, our youth club has continued to thrive with a wide range of exciting activities for all ages.
Weekly cooking and baking sessions have been a hit, while the games room has been buzzing with activity. Our senior members have been keeping fit with gym sessions, and creativity has been flowing in our songwriting course.
The Fashion Project has been especially popular, and we can’t wait for our upcoming Fashion Show next month, where our talented young designers will showcase their incredible creations.
It’s been fantastic to see our members engaged, active, and enjoying new experiences building confidence, skills, and friendships along the way!
Our Youth Ambassadors and Senior Youth Club members had an incredible weekend at Parson House, packed with adventure, teamwork, and unforgettable experiences.
The trip kicked off with a photo scavenger hunt, encouraging creativity and collaboration, followed by an evening favourite, an epic hide and seek session that had everyone laughing.
Day two was full of action. The group enjoyed canoeing with our brilliant instructor John, learning new techniques, swapping teams, and even rafting up for a group challenge before finishing with a refreshing swim. They then tackled the assault course, where teamwork, encouragement, and determination shone through. After dinner, the group faced Weaselling — hiking and rock crawling — conquering fears of heights and tight spaces while being rewarded with stunning views.
On the final day, young people challenged themselves with outdoor rock climbing and the ultimate adventure: abseiling down a cliff, before wrapping up with an indoor climbing session.
A huge thank you to instructors John, Chris, and Emanuel for their energy and guidance, and to Sam and Lillian for their leadership and support.
At The Hunslet Club, experiences like this help young people develop confidence, resilience, and friendships that last a lifetime. We will continue to provide these experiences for our members.
This month, The Hunslet Club is celebrating a special milestone as the first tenant of its Community Homes project marks 10 years in her property.
Launched in 2013, the initiative was set up to tackle the shortage of quality housing for families in South Leeds. The Club renovates empty or neglected homes, combining the expertise of professional tradespeople with the support of young people on vocational construction courses, giving them invaluable hands-on experience.
Each property is refurbished to be energy-efficient and environmentally sound before being offered to families connected to the Club who need improved housing.
Today, the scheme manages five properties, all still occupied by their original tenants — a testament to the quality of the homes and the strong relationships built with residents.
Sue, the first tenant, described her home as her “sanctuary”, expressing gratitude to the Club. Staff visited her this week to mark the anniversary and celebrate her long-term tenancy.
This milestone highlights The Hunslet Club’s commitment to the community, combining housing support with skills development and opportunities for young people.
We’re excited to announce that our new timetable has been released, offering an incredible 114 activities for young people across South Leeds! From football, rugby, and netball to dance, art, drama, gymnastics, boxing, majorettes and more. There’s something for everyone, whether you want to try a new hobby, develop your skills, or compete at a higher level.
At The Hunslet Club, we’re passionate about making sport and activity accessible for all. That’s why our timetable includes both development sessions for beginners or those wanting to improve their skills, and competitive sessions for young people aiming to challenge themselves and represent The Club and community. Our qualified coaches ensure that every participant gets the support, guidance, and encouragement they need to grow in confidence, build teamwork, and stay active.
We believe that every young person should have the chance to take part, regardless of experience or ability. Our inclusive approach ensures that children and teenagers can enjoy sport in a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment, whether they’re joining a social session, learning a new skill, or competing in a team. Our FREE Youth Club ensures all young people have somewhere to go 5 nights per week to engage in positive activity and have access to youth workers and services.
Check out our full timetable here and discover all the ways your child can get active, have fun, and thrive at The Hunslet Club!
Interested in volunteering or becoming a member of the Hunslet Club? We’d love to have you join our vibrant community! Visit our website or stop by The Club to learn more about how you can get involved.
Follow this link to donate any amount small or large to our registered charity. We rely on the kindness of donations to be able to help every young person that we encounter at The Club, reach their full potential.
Stay connected with us on social media for the latest updates and announcements and to see what goes on daily at The Hunslet Club.
As always a huge THANK YOU for your continued support and participation. Together, we’re building a happier, healthier, and more connected community here at the Hunslet Club. We wouldn’t be us, without you!
Until next time, The Hunslet Club Team.
