Hunslet Club: Longstanding Leeds youth club praised in Mike Tindall rugby podcast with members of royal family

The Hunslet Club, based in Hillidge Road, has been running for more than 80 years – and has seen countless young people through the doors, finding their feet thanks to more than 100 activities on offer.

Its reputation now climbs to the highest level, after it was praised during a popular podcast hosted by rugby union legend Mike Tindall.

He recently sat down with William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as Princess Anne, for a special recording of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Rugby’.

It came after his visit to The Hunslet Club earlier this year, where another episode of the podcast was recorded with fellow rugby union star Jason Robinson.

In his conversation with the royals, Mike explains: “We’ve just done something with Jason Robinson and The Hunslet Club, which is somewhere everyone could go and hang out and not get in trouble.

“It’s a multisport facility that [Jason] is trying to raise more funds for because it does change people’s lives as it gives them an outlet and keeps them off street corners, keeping them away from doing things they shouldn’t be doing.”

The glowing endorsement comes at a crucial time for the club as it raises more funds for the vital work it carries out in South Leeds. Founded in 1940, it aims to give young people a chance to broaden their horizons and reach their full potential.

Other than serving as a haven for many, it also hosts more than 100 weekly activity sessions including rugby, football, ballet, gymnastics, drama, majorettes and boxing.

The podcast on YouTube currently has more than 1.5m views, with that number steadily increasing.

Mike Tindall’s knowledge of the club comes from his friendship with Jason Robinson, who famously scored England’s only try in the country’s World Cup victory over Australia in 2003. He attended The Hunslet Club as a boy.

The pair recorded an earlier episode of the rugby podcast at the club, where Mike met Dennis Robbins, the CEO of 22 years.

Dennis explained: “It was a great endorsement for us. Mike’s visit obviously made an impression, which is great. We’re very lucky that Jason is a great advocate of the club and he often uses it when he’s filming.”

Dennis, who first came to The Hunslet Club as a junior member more than 50 years ago, added: “It’s great for the profile of the club too. Our current members can see that a successful rugby player came through as a boy; it gives them an aspiration.”