Leeds SportZone helps tackle barriers in minority communities
Leeds residents of black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds have been learning about the wide range of sports available in their local area, thanks to a sporting organisation named Sporting Equals.
Through its SportZone initiative, residents were given the chance to know more about what they could do in their area, after some claimed they didn’t know where they could play sports or how they could get involved.
After Sporting Equals found that awareness needed to be built, thousands were invited to take part in sports and learn more at sessions held during the Leeds Chinese New Year celebrations.
Arun Kang, CEO of Sporting Equals, said: “The New Year celebrations were great fun and attracted an ethnically diverse crowd.
“Thousands of Chinese and other BME communities flocked to our SportZone, many of whom felt there were barriers restricting them from taking up sport.”
Umar Ahmed, Partnership Officer from Sporting Equals, added: “The atmosphere at the Leeds SportZone was fantastic and we saw people from all ages and backgrounds get involved in the sports we had on offer.”
Originally set up in 1998 by Sport England, in partnership with the Commission for Racial Equality, Sporting Equals exists to promote greater involvement by all communities that are disengaged in sport and physical activity.
