Junior Wardens recruited by East North East Homes Leeds (ENEHL) are staging a sponsored hoola hoop session to raise funds for the relief effort for the three million people affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake on 12 January, which struck close to the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.
The novel idea was struck upon by two of the girls on the scheme, one 10 and the other 11-years-old, and all 14 Junior Wardens will be taking part along with Ronnie the Rhino from the Leeds Rhinos rugby team.
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What: Junior Wardens taking part in a sponsored hoola hope session in aid of the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Where: Cross Gates Primary School, Poole Crescent, Leeds LS15 7NB
When: Monday 25 January from 12.30pm until about 1.15pm
ENEHL recruited the Junior Wardens to help improve communities and set a great example to other young people. They have three basic rules:
1. Junior Wardens will have respect for themselves and will show this through their behaviour
2. Junior Wardens will have respect for others
3. Junior Wardens will have respect for their environment.
Working with ENEHL, the new recruits get involved in practical projects such as litter picks, as well as having the chance to meet other members of their communities to better understand and appreciate how people get along. They also act as extra eyes and ears for the community by spotting where graffiti or fly-tipping has appeared, reporting broken streetlamps and spreading safety messages among their peers.
All the Junior Wardens are Year 5 and Year 6 pupils, nine to 11-year-olds, at Cross Gates Primary School on Poole Crescent. They all receive a hoodie and an ID badge, and remain Junior Wardens for one year. Each group is helped by ENEHL’s Community Involvement team.
Angelena Fixter, chair of the East North East Homes Leeds board, said:
“This is a really fun, enterprising way of raising funds for the victims of the Haiti earthquake and I hope everyone will support them as much as they can.
“It’s great to see young people taking the initiative and helping those less fortunate than themselves – that’s exactly the reason we set up the Junior Wardens scheme and it’s wonderful to see.”
Councillor Les Carter, Leeds City Council’s executive board member for neighbourhoods, said:
“This is a great idea for the young people to come up with and I’m fully behind their efforts, the best of luck to them in raising funds for this worthwhile cause .”
ENDS
For media enquiries please contact:
Michael Molcher, Leeds City Council (0113) 224 3937
e-mail: michael.molcher@leeds.gov.uk
