Leeds youth sports clubs and gyms welcome Boris Johnson's roadmap briefing as they prepare to reopen

Youth sports organisations in Leeds have welcomed the prospect of being able to resume outdoor activities within a matter of weeks, citing the clear benefits for wellbeing.
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Outdoor after-school sports and activities can take place from March 8 when schools reopen to all pupils, with outdoor sports facilities and organised adult and children’s sport resuming from March 29.

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Dennis Robbins is chief executive of the Hunslet Club, which ran almost 100 weekly sessions, including boxing, football, rugby league, and youth clubs, prior to the pandemic.

Dennis Robbins, chief executive of the Hunslet Club, is looking forward to welcoming back all the young people who usually attend their sessions. Picture: Tony JohnsonDennis Robbins, chief executive of the Hunslet Club, is looking forward to welcoming back all the young people who usually attend their sessions. Picture: Tony Johnson
Dennis Robbins, chief executive of the Hunslet Club, is looking forward to welcoming back all the young people who usually attend their sessions. Picture: Tony Johnson
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Having been able to provide support to just a small number of vulnerable children in person since March and keep in touch with the rest online only, he is looking forward to being able to welcome back the hundreds of young people who usually attend its sessions.

“Some people are blessed and may have a garden and outside space,” he said. “A lot of people we’re working with are living in deprived areas – they don’t necessarily have that outdoor space. That’s not good for their mental health. The sooner we can get back, the better. Only then will we discover the problems we’ve got [as a result of lockdown].”

Jackie Batley, welfare officer for Leeds Schools FA Junior Section, said activities resuming was “extremely important” for the wellbeing of young people. She said: “We would be delighted that they’re all able to restart football again. Parents will be delighted and the children will be – and us – that we get back to some normality.

“We’ve had a year off. It will be really wonderful to get it all back up and running.”

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Similar sentiments were shared by the owners of gyms and indoor leisure centres after April 12 was given as the earliest date for their reopening, with social distancing and other measures in place. Organised indoor adult sports, such as gym classes, could then follow from May 17.

Duggie Notley, who co-owns Workhouse Fitness in Pudsey with Andrew Pattison, said: “We can’t wait to reopen – we really need to obviously. We wish it could be sooner but at the end of the day, nobody could have foreseen Covid hitting like it did.”

He said returning to the gym will be an “absolute godsend” for customers’ physical and mental health, adding: “It’s the social aspect as well. People just can’t wait to get back.”

Michael Motanov, chief executive of the Ultra Flex Gym in Pudsey and five other locations, said: “I keep receiving online messages from members and the community we have. They say they’re missing the whole lifestyle, the normal routine where they can relax after work and catch up with people.”

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He said it would also come as a relief to personal trainers and others who rely on the industry for their livelihoods and have felt the financial strain.

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