SUMMER: SORTED!

Your guide to all the best free and affordable activities and events for young people, kids, and their families in south (July - October 2019)

Leeds City Museum (Millennium Square, LS2 8BH) is free, open daily, all ages and skills. It’s free to access, if you have your own bike and kit – and has loads of free family events and sessions all summer – including but bikes and kit are available to hire. one to mark the 50th anniversary of the moon landings on Saturday 20 On the subject of which, anyone can borrow bikes for free, just like July (11am-3pm), and a new hands-on ‘Musical Museum’ project. books, from our local Bike Libraries (bikelibraries.yorkshire.com) – at Leeds Libraries (including the Central Library in town, on the Headrow either the Dewsbury Road Community Hub in Beeston (LS11 6PF, 0113 LS1 3AB – and those locally) have loads of workshops for young people: 3785747), or St George’s Centre in Middleton (LS10 4UZ, 0113 computer game design (weekly from 26 July), coding, illustration (7 Aug), 3785352). Contact them for info on availability and opening times. Minecraft (10 Aug), creative writing, hands-on science (13 Aug), and Also, we have one of the best skateparks in the UK right on our doorstep! more. Some are paid-for, many are free – but places are always limited, Get down to LS-Ten (formerly known as The Works, on Kitson Road near so pre-book ASAP at: ticketsource.co.uk/leedslibraryevents. Also look out Costco, LS10 1NT) anytime to scoot, skate, or bike. As well as for their popular annual Summer Reading Challenge. their established indoor arena, this summer sees them launch a new The Friends of (based at the Visitor Centre off Town outdoor zone. Quote this code for a free taster session: LSTen/ Street LS10 3SH, fomp.co.uk) are once again hosting a summer summer2019promo/002. programme of free activities: sports, orienteering, den-building, crafts, Still on sports, the Hunslet Nelson Rounders Team (Gipsy Lane LS11 and more (Mon-Wed each week between 29 July – 28 Aug). Also look out 5TT, near Cockburn High School) are running a free all-age Rounders for the Rock and Folk Music Festival (Sun 21 July), Dog Show (Sun 25 Festival on Sunday 28 July, 12-4pm. Also features children’s games, Aug), and the Great Middleton Park Show (Sun 8 Sept). inflatables, food and drinks, stalls, and more. The grand final of the Young People’s Centre Stage competition – for Later in the summer, between 12-16 Aug, Hunslet Nelson Cricket Club young local performers to prove their mettle, and win performance slots (hunsletnelsoncc.co.uk) are hosting a cricket activity week at the same at Reading and Leeds Festivals –is on Thursday 25 July, from 7pm at the location: 10am-3pm daily, for ages 6-15, £8/day. O2 Academy in town (LS2 3AW); tickets £6; suitable for ages 11+. The much-loved Hunslet Club (hunsletclub.org.uk) run great stuff all year; Lark in the Park (Saturday 27 July, 11.30am-3.30pm) is the annual East their summer offering is an activity camp, featuring arts, sports, dance, End Park gala (LS9 9DJ), with inflatables, donkey rides, face painting, cooking, and more (25 July – 23 Aug, prices from £4 / half day). climbing, music, arts and crafts, performers, and more. Breeze (breezeleeds.org) is a popular free summer programme, run by The Hamara Centre in Beeston Hill (LS11 6RD, hamara.org.uk) are , with inflatables, music, arts and craft, food, activities, holding free family film screenings, 10am every Tuesday between 30 July and much more – for ages 0-19. They have a full city-wide programme, – 20 Aug. They’re also running a seaside trip to Filey on Sun 4 Aug (£12/ but local events include: mini Breeze on Monday 29 July (1-5pm) at person); and a play scheme for 5-11 years (29 July to 23 Aug, prices £3- Middleton Park; and a mid-sized Breeze in the Park on Wednesday 7 Aug £8/day). Drop in, or call 0113 2773330, for more info or to register. (1-5pm) in Cross Flatts Park in Beeston. There are also free family film screenings for families at the Dewsbury Create : Sculpt : Play is a fortnight of free family-friendly creative Road Community Hub (LS11 6PF), 21 Aug and 18 Sept, at 4.30pm. activities, 20 July – 4 Aug, at Victoria Gardens (outside the Art Gallery in Xplorer is a fun free treasure-hunt challenge, for teams to explore local town, LS2 3AD), as part of the Yorkshire Sculpture International festival. parks as they search out markers. Sessions all run 10.30am-12pm: Also at Victoria Gardens, go enjoy the seaside experience of the family- Mondays in Middleton Park LS10 3SH (weekly 29 July to 19 Aug); friendly City Beach, 10 Aug – 1 Sept, daily 10.30am-6pm. Features a Tuesdays in Cross Flatts Park LS11 7PQ (meet at the children’s play giant sandy beach (free), plus paid activities including fair rides. area, weekly 30 July to 27 Aug); and Thursdays on Moor LS11 9NS (meet at the kids play area, weekly 1 to 29 Aug). Also in town, head to Kirkgate Market (LS2 7HY) for free play and craft activities daily Mon-Fri, 27 July – 27 Aug. There are also free family film Also on Holbeck Moor, Active Leeds are running ‘GO-TRI’ sports sessions, screenings on their big screen, 11am on the last Saturday of each month Tuesdays from 23 July, 10.30am-12pm, for ages 10-14. Free, but (The Lion King on 27 July, Despicable Me on 31 Aug, Toy Story 3 on 28 spaces are limited, please pre-book (via [email protected], or Sept…). Full info at: fb.com/LeedsMarkets. 07891 272381). Active Leeds are also running free sports and games sessions on Holbeck Moor, for ages 8-13, 4-6pm every Wednesday from Again in town, there’s lots on at Millennium Square (LS1 1UR, 24 July; no need to book, just turn up. millsqleeds.com) – many paid-for, but some free. ‘Leeds – Live in the Square’ (Saturday 3 Aug, 12-10pm) is a big free family event, ‘Get into Triathlon!’ sessions are also running on Thursdays from 25 July, showcasing Leeds’ talented and emerging artists. And ‘Child Friendly 10am-12pm at Leeds Urban Bike Park in Middleton (LS10 3TN, Leeds LIVE!’ (Wednesday 7 Aug, 10am-4.30pm, in partnership with leedsurbanbikepark.com): same info as above, please pre-book. CBeebies) will feature a family rave, games, face painting, freejumping, Leeds Urban Bike Park is worth a visit on its own merit! This wildly arts and crafts, sport, and more; ages 0-12; tickets £5, but babies go popular mountain biking and BMXing centre is open daily, with trails for free. festival (leedspride.com) is Sat 3 – Sun 4 Aug: one of the annual Vintage Bus Day, 10am-5pm on Sun 18 Aug, with classic buses UK’s largest (and friendliest!) celebrations of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and running between city venues including Thwaite and . Trans life. Features free family activities at the Corn Exchange (12pm- The Royal Armouries (LS10 1LT, royalarmouries.org) at Leeds Dock 4pm on Sat 3 Aug), and at the Tetley (LS10 1JQ, thetetley.org), 11am- (formerly Clarence Dock) is a national museum, free, open 10am-5pm 4pm on Sun 4 Aug. The main street parade and festival is Sun 4 Aug. daily, with extensive exhibitions, demonstrations, and activities. Also at the Tetley, there are free all-age arts and craft workshops, 11am- Skelton Grange is an inspiring environmental centre in Stourton (LS10 3pm, on 28 July, 11 Aug, and 25 Aug; and the latest Tiny Tetley (messy 1RS, tcv.org.uk/skeltongrange). They run a range of paid workshops for play for under 5s) is on 24 July, 1-5pm (£3/child). all ages, but also affordable events like: nature explorers, 10am-1pm on Hyde Park Unity Day (unityday.org.uk) is another big community gala, 12 Mondays 5 Aug, 2 Sept, and 7 Oct (£3/child suggested donation); and a -8pm on Saturday 3 Aug on near the university (LS2 Big Green Weekend, 11am-4pm on Sat 21 Sept (kids free, adults £1). 3AP): featuring music, food, activities, play, and more. Active Leeds are running a free all-age cycling event, 10am-12pm on The South Leeds Community Hiking Group (fb.com/SouthLeedsHiking) Saturday 24 Aug, on the (traffic-free) carpark outside the Dewsbury are doing a ‘My First Mountain’ hike on Saturday 3 Aug, for ages 4+. Road Community Hub in Beeston (LS11 6PF). Other hikes are due on 11 Aug and 1 Sept. Places are limited, so pre- The hugely acclaimed annual Leeds West Indian Carnival booking is essential; donations requested if possible (eg £3/person). (leedscarnival.co.uk) is back, all day Monday 26 Aug (parade runs 2- Leeds City Council Youth Service (fb.com/youthservice123) are holding 5pm), around (LS7 4HB) and Chapeltown. day trips for young people in Middleton and Belle Isle aged 11+, The Asha Neighbourhood Project in Beeston Hill are running a day trip to between 30 July – 23 Aug: canoeing, Flamingo Land, swimming, Scarborough for women and children – on Wednesday 28 Aug, at £4/ paintball, Blackpool, etc. Prices £4-6/person, places are limited, pre- person. Contact them ASAP to book your places, at: fb.com/Asha1985. booking is essential: contact Allison Dixon on 07891 277407. Let’s Ride Leeds (letsride.co.uk/events/leeds) is a free all-age cycling The Youth Service are also running a horse riding and care programme festival, with roads closed to cars across , 11am-3pm at Middleton Equestrian Centre, weekly on Wednesdays (31 July - 21 on Sun 1 Sept. Also: food, bike fixing, music, performance, and more. Aug), at £3/session (including pick-ups). They’re also running an away day for ages 11-17, at Herd Farm activity centre, on Thursday 8 Aug: Middleton Community Camp (fb.com/MiddletonCamp) is an established assault courses, team challenges, etc (£4/person). Both these are open overnight camping event for south Leeds families in Middleton Park, this to residents of Middleton, Belle Isle, Hunslet, or Beeston Hill. Pre- year 14–15 Sept: shared meals, games and sports, activities and booking is essential: again, contact Allison Dixon on 07891 277407. challenges, etc. £5 per tent, plus £5 deposit; pre-booking essential. And the Youth Service are also hosting free activity days, with Leeds Dads (leedsdads.org) enables local dads to gather and share inflatables, arts and crafts, and more, 12-3pm on: Tue 6 Aug at good times together with their young kids – and they’re moving to south Blenkinsop Field (Middleton LS10 4AX), Tue 13 Aug on Hunslet Moor Leeds! Starting on Sunday 15 Sept, 2-4pm, they will be holding their (Burton Row LS11 5NX), and Tue 20 Aug at Parkside Field in Belle Isle monthly events at the Holbeck (formerly the WMC). (Belle Isle Road LS10 3HF). Light Night (10–11 October, lightnightleeds.org.uk) is one of the UK’s The local Roller Girl Gang (fb.com/RollerGirlGang) are holding a 3-day largest arts and light festivals, with 50+ free activities, performances, ‘Summer Skate’, for kids aged 7+, to learn and practise roller skating – and events for all ages, around the city centre over two evenings. 5-7 Aug, at Old Cockburn Sports Centre (Primrose Lane LS11 5EW).

Costs £65 for all 3 days (morning or afternoon sessions). This guide was compiled by south Leeds people, to help local young On Wednesday 7 Aug, there’s a ‘GO-TRI’ Duathlon and Mini Fun Run, people and their families kickstart the summer. We hope it helps! We from 6pm in Cross Flatts Park (LS11 7PQ) – run by Active Leeds and mainly picked free or affordable events, that were easily accessible South Leeds Lakers. Free, but some elements need pre-booking, at: from our communities – but there’s so much we didn’t have space for, gotri.org/events. Also in Cross Flatts Park, join Junior Parkrun 9am any further afield in Leeds and beyond. Sunday year-round: a free 2km run for ages 4-14 (parkrun.org.uk/ Visit websites like leedsinspired.co.uk, fb.com/childfriendlyleeds, crossflatts-juniors). visitleeds.co.uk, southleedslife.com, and southleeds.mumbler.co.uk for many more links, events, and opportunities. And sites like Also in Beeston Hill, the Friends of Trentham Park is a local group nationaltrust.org.uk are also great for ideas and lists of creative working to develop the Trentham Street pocket park (LS11 6HW). They activities you can do yourself at home. aim to hold summer events including den building, circus skills, Huge thanks to all those who helped us collate all this info – especially planting, and more; watch fb.com/friendsoftrenthampark for full info. South Leeds Mumbler (see above), and the Leeds City Council Inner DAZL run popular free or cheap dance sessions – for young people and South Community Committee team (fb.com/LCCInnerSouth). children to get fit, healthy, and connected. Sessions run Mon-Wed afternoons and evenings, across south Leeds, for different age groups; cost is up to £2/person; visit dazl.org.uk for full times, venues, and info. Leeds United Foundation run free weekly football sessions, for boys and girls, at Holbeck Community Centre (LS11 0AB) on Tuesdays: ages 8-13 at 6.30pm, then ages 14-19 at 7.30pm. Then at the South Leeds Youth The guide was ultimately compiled, printed and distributed by the local Hub in Belle Isle (Middleton Road LS10 3JA) on Wednesdays (from 7 Green Party in south/central Leeds (greenleeds.org). Aug): ages 8-13 at 3pm, and ages 14-19 at 4.30pm. And at Old Cockburn Sports Hall (LS11 5EW) on Thursdays: ages 8-13 at 5.30pm, then ages 14-19 at 6.30pm.

Middleton Railway (middletonrailway.org.uk) is an acclaimed heritage railway running from Hunslet (Moor Road LS10 2JQ), up to Middleton Sorry if we missed anything local: get in touch, and we’ll share it online, Park. Open Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays, and bank holidays and feature it next year. Sorry that most of our links above are onto the through the summer. The museum’s free, rail tickets start at £1. internet: if you’re not online, please text any queries to 07738 921277, and we’ll try and sort you out. And sorry that we haven’t had space to Thwaite Watermill on the Hunslet/Stourton waterfront (LS10 1RP, credit everyone who’s helped, nor every event partner and funder. museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk) is a much-loved heritage museum, open 10am-4pm Tuesdays-Sundays through the holidays. Hands-on activities, family craft workshops 1-5pm on Tuesdays, and more. Have a great summer! Tickets: families £9, kids £2, under 5s free. Special events include the Printed by LS1 Print, Matrix House, Goodman St, Leeds LS10 1NZ .