As children across the city return to school, Leeds Rhinos Foundation is reflecting on a record-breaking summer that saw thousands of young people take part in opportunities designed to keep them active throughout the holidays.
Our Rugby League Development programme provided opportunities for over 800 young, aspiring boys and girls this summer, with a wide range of opportunities including six North vs South events, two Train with the Rhinos sessions, a girls Rhinos Talent Pathway Development session, the Rhinos Aspiring Player Experience, Train Like a Pro and the girls Rep with the Rhinos programme. This also included four Rugby League Mini Camps and an Ahead of the Game workshop at Stanningley SARLC.
Away from rugby league development, 446 young people took part in netball camps, whilst our drama camp welcomed a further 60 participants.
Our multi-sport camps proved hugely popular throughout the summer, giving hundreds of children across the city the opportunity to stay active, try different sports and make new friends during the school holidays. The camps welcomed an average of 100 children every day, four days a week, across three camps each week, providing a safe, fun and inclusive environment for young people to get involved in a wide range of sports and activities.
The success of these camps highlights the continued demand for accessible holiday activities across Leeds.
The Foundation also took its camps overseas in Germany and Gibraltar, reaching 280 young people and showcasing how the power of sport can create opportunities beyond Leeds.
Reflecting on the summer, Gareth Cook, Head of Community, said:
“This summer has been an incredible success and a real reflection of the impact our programmes can have on children and young people.
“To reach so many young people across Leeds and beyond, while giving them the opportunity to be active, try something new and build confidence, is something we can be incredibly proud of.
“None of this would be possible without the dedication of our staff, coaches, volunteers, partners and supporters.”
We would like to give a huge thank to the local councillors who fund our multi-sport camps. Their support makes it possible for us to provide these opportunities to hundreds of children across the city. We would also like to thank all of our programme partners for their continued support!