I went to the Official Opening of Beeston St Luke's Catholic Primary School's new nursery before half term and while I was there I met Laura Hodgkinson who is one of the Kidz Klub Leaders here in Leeds. I received this e-mail from Laura today...


"Hi Chris, We met just before half term at the opening of St Lukes Nursery. I am one of the Leaders at Kidz Klub Leeds and you asked me to send you some information about our charity and the work that we do across inner city Leeds. I have attached our annual report and another report that says a little of what we do. Since both these reports were written we have started a new club in Middleton. Our Thursday night event is held at Middleton Primary and is open to all primary aged children in the area. Each week we visit every child at home, as we do for 1300 other children across the city who attend our other clubs. It's great to be in this new area and the work is being received really positively. In the autumn term we are have been asked by people across the Armley/ Bramley area to launch a club there. We are really looking forward to working with the community and especially the schools in this area. I hope that the information that i have sent is informative and useful. It would be wonderful you could visit us at a club or see some of the work we do in inner city schools. Many thanks Laura."

The Kidz Klub Annual Report highlights the fact that "in the UK today 1 in 3 children live in poverty. That’s 4 million children. In the 5th richest country in the world, that’s a shameful truth. Leeds Central Ward has among the worst proportion of children living in poverty in the UK. Poverty affects the life chances of the children, families and communities of those it comes into contact with. In the areas where Kidz Klub is active rates of crime, unemployment and drug use are high, and aspirations and opportunities are low. This is the daily reality for thousands of children living in inner-city Leeds."

Kidz Klub is a Christian charity and is a unique organisation which reaches young people at their clubs, at home and at school. It has developed a reputation for great work and the Kidz Klub’s Schools Work continues to expand amid glowing praise and high demand from schools. Organisations like Kidz Klub will continue to help us shape provision and support in the new children's services arrangements where social enterprise, volunteering and charities will play an increasingly important role. You can find out more about Kidz Klub by visiting their website at https://portal.leeds.gov.uk/portal/portal/cn/Education%20Leeds/Webmail.

Chris