Football and food on offer for East Leeds youngsters (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

Football and food on offer for East Leeds youngsters

June 10, 2010 12:00 AM

Young people in Burmantofts and Richmond Hill are being invited to Ebor Gardens Community Centre for football, food and the chance to learn about world cultures.

The centre will be showing every World Cup match on 50" plasma screens. Staff at the centre will also be cooking up cuisine from one of the countries taking part in each match and dishing it out for free to youngsters attending the screenings.

Boards will be erected to provide information about the nations taking part and the centre will be decorated with their national flags.

Leeds City Council's youth service hopes that year six primary school pupils from the local area will attend the early (12:30pm kick off) games as part of their learning about world cultures. They are extending the invitation to all young people aged 8-18 to watch the other games at the centre.

The screenings begin on Friday 11th June at 3pm with the tournament's opening game between South Africa and Mexico. Organisers are cooking up a big vat of chilli con carne to feed the hungry hordes they hope will descend upon the centre.

The event is open to all young people in the area and is completely free. Cllr Richard Brett, local councillor for the area will be attending on Friday to help launch the screenings.

Cllr Brett (Lib Dem, Burmantofts and Richmond Hill) said:

"One of Leeds' great strengths is that we are an incredibly diverse city with communities settling here from all over the world. The world cup provides the perfect opportunity for local people to find out more about other cultures in a fun and exciting way.

"I hope that these matches will be a big draw for young people in the area. As well as the chance to watch matches on the big screen, they'll get free food and the chance to learn more about the countries taking part."

Media opportunity:

You are invited to send a photographer or journalist to Ebor Gardens Community Centre on Friday 11th June at 2:30pm where Cllr Richard Brett will join staff and local youngsters to watch the opening World Cup game between South Africa and Mexico.