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The Hunslet Club celebrates 70th anniversary
From humble beginnings, the Hunslet Club grew into one of the biggest youth clubs in the country and next month is its 70th anniversary.
Suzanne McTaggart looks back at some of the highlights
For generations the Hunslet Club has provided a place for children and young people to take up sports and arts activities.
Now, it is one of the five largest youth clubs in the country, with more than 500 members coming through the doors each week.
But when the Hunslet Club was founded 70 years ago, in the darkest days of the Blitz, nobody imagined it would achieve such success.
The bombing was at its height when John Wyllie, left, got to know the streetwise boys in Hunslet employed as firewatchers and messengers between air raid wardens and first aid centres.
To give them a chance to grow and develop, Dr Wyllie established the Hunslet Club for Boys, which initially involved a cluster of youths meeting at the First Aid and Decontamination Centre on Waterloo Road.
The club's motto was "fitness for life" – a vision created from the poor physical condition of young men being conscripted into the army – and made its home inside an old school opposite the Strand cinema on Jack Lane.
Over time, the activities developed from ferocious games of handball, with coke scuttles for goals, to indoor games competitions, swimming galas, Monday evening film shows and Sunday morning gardening sessions.
Decades passed with membership continuing to grow. New premises opened on Waterloo Road in 1945, with the club's current home on Hillidge Road opening in 1971, providing a main hall and stage, gymnasium, craft and activities room, girls' lounge, chapel and floodlit playing fields.
Girls were welcomed to the club throughout the 1970s, initially at dances and then at interest groups on makeup, fashion and cooking.
In the 1980s, the club developed further with the launch of a Youth Training Scheme for the unemployed, which involved light engineering and catering training courses during the day, while club members used the venue at night.
The 1990s, which saw the club renamed The Hunslet Club for Boys and Girls, got off to a flying start with a Jubilee Reunion.
Generations of membership came from far and wide to celebrate 50 years of the club.
The building received a 152,000 facelift, while celebrity guests including Frankie Vaughan, Bill Owen, Alan Minter, John Conteh and Ian
St John attended a series of businessmen's dinners and boxing shows.
Now as well as offering training in car and bike mechanics, construction, hairdressing and beautician skills, youngsters can now learn Irish dancing, cheerleading, gymnastics, musical theatre, hip hop and ballet. There are sessions for parents and toddlers.
2010 has also been a good year for the club, with historical film footage discovered underneath the stage back in March.
To celebrate the 70th anniversary, the Hunslet Club – renamed in 2008 – will hold a reunion on November 13 from 6pm.
Jason Slack, funding and marketing officer at the club, said: "This anniversary year we've been hearing from so many former who've shared some wonderful stories and memories of their time with us.
"When the YEP reported on our discovery of historic film footage of the club led to 8,000 viewings on our YouTube channel, which shows the interest and affection for the place from people in Leeds.
"We are really looking forward to seeing all the generations together."
Former members, staff and volunteers are welcome to attend the reunion.
Tickets cost 5, including a buffet and entertainment. To book, call 0113 271 6489 or email friends@hunslet club.org.uk.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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