People and groups from across Leeds are clubbing together to celebrate the opening of Rugby League World Cup – being staged here in England and Wales – with a FREE community festival on Saturday 26th October at South Leeds Academy jointly co-ordinated by Leeds Rugby Foundation and Hunslet Hawks among many other supporters.
The all-age event will run between 10am and 2pm and will feature opportunities to both watch and play the sport alongside Hunslet Hawks coaches Barry Eaton and Lois Forsell who have both played in a Rugby League World Cup!
There will be a festival where local community teams play followed by taster sessions for children and young people (both boys and girls). Furthermore, there will be a wide range of other activities for all – including music, dance, food, face-painting, hair spray, inflatables and graffiti, games, a prize draw, and lots more. The event will culminate with a live screening of the opening World Cup match, England v Australia, at 2.30pm.
This autumn sees the return of the World Cup to the United Kingdom, with 14 teams from around the world competing for the cup over 5 weeks. It features 2 matches at Headingley Stadium and ends with the Grand Final in Manchester on Saturday 30th November.
Ed Carlisle, one of the event coordinators, commented: ‘It’s been great to see the local clubs and other community groups – quite a diverse bunch – work together on this event. It’s amazing what people can achieve when they come together around a shared goal. Likewise, it’ll be an exciting day, with something for everyone – plenty of rugby of course, but a wide range of other activities too. We look forward to seeing lots of different people turn out and enjoy themselves together.’
The event is jointly coordinated and supported by groups including: Leeds Rugby Foundation, Hunslet Hawks, Beeston Broncos, the Salvation Army, the Kashmir Muslim Welfare Association, Hunslet Warriors, Leeds City Council, Hunslet Festival, Beeston Festival, and the Hunslet Club. Thanks also to South Leeds Academy for hosting the event, and to funders including the CDF Community First programme, the Community Games Fund, and various local councillors.
For further information surrounding the event, please visit, leedsrugbyfestival.eventbrite.co.uk, or search on Facebook under ‘Leeds Rugby League World Cup Family Festival’.
Please direct any queries on the event to either: Ed Carlisle (on ed@t4p.org.uk or 07738 921 277) or Lois Forsell (lois.forsell@hawksrl.com or 07706 780 530). Interviews available upon request. For social media on any of the above, see @Hawks_Community and @RugbyLeeds.