By Jill Stocks
There was a good turnout for Sunday’s “Play at Low Lane Rec” event, which was led by a local youth ambassador supported by a Horsforth councillor and Leeds Youth Services.
Attendees enjoyed all sorts of activities and sports at the rec from 12pm till 3pm, organised by Victória Martinho Vieira Da Cunha, with the support of Cllr Emmie Bromley (Lab, Horsforth).
The free event offered a variety of activities from a Kids’ Olympics to craft activities, health and wellbeing information, environmental activities, music and a visit from the local fire service.
Victoria said she was happy with how the event had worked out.
“I’m quite pleased,” she said. “The weather is quite windy but so far it hasn’t showered, it’s not too sunny that everyone’s dying of heat and it’s not too windy that everything’s blowing away. There are quite a lot of people here.”
Cllr Bromley is a Leeds City Council Youth Champion and Chair of the Outer North West Community Committee. She said: “Really good atmosphere. Everyone seems really pleased and excited about being here so that’s really warming to see.
“We’ve also got a few people that have turned up like our Deputy Chief Executive for Children and Families who’s really excited to come and see [this event] and our chair of Climate Emergency Advisory Board, who came across to see how you can tie in nature with play and young people as well.
“We’ve also got Leeds Trinity round the corner that are specialising their studies at the minute in Horsforth and how we do things based on an environmental way and community driven. I’m really excited.”
Cllr Eleanor Thomson (Lab, Guiseley and Rawdon) is the Deputy Executive Member for Children and Families.
“It’s great just getting people outside together having fun and giving them space to play and feel safe is really really important,” she said.
“And play is a big part of what we are looking at as a city. How we give children permission and space and time to play. Involving the whole family and making it not just children but parents and grandparents as well.”
Leeds Youth Service were present at the event, as well as a stall providing advice on health and wellbeing with Cathy Gillinder.
Cathy was a local volunteer at this event that took some training through the city council’s public health resources prior to the event to be able to take people’s blood pressure and give out general advice.
Horsforth Climate Action had a stall with a willow weaving activity for adults and children, the end products of which will be used as part of a parade at their Green Fair in September.
Leeds Trinity University were on hand inviting people to sign up to their local intervention focus groups to shape a greener Horsforth.
There was a survey to take part in looking at peoples use of the Low Lane rec space and also a “wishing tree” activity, asking for suggestions on what could make Low Lane Rec more fun.
