Breeze is on a mission to get active

Picture caption: "Enjoing the new inflatables at Breeze on Tour"

Families in Leeds can experience the ground-breaking mobile exhibition, Mission: Active Future when it joins forces with Breeze On Tour in Beeston next week.

Mission: Active Future is set to provide a fantastic day out alongside the brand new Breeze inflatables, and a wide range of sports and arts activities at Breeze on Tour in Cross Flatts Park, Beeston on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 August.

Liz Smallman, Head of Learning at Eureka! said:
“Mission: Active Future is a fantastic exhibition which encourages participants to try to lead healthier lives. We’re very excited to bring this active and motivating experience to young people in Leeds who might not have been able to see it on a visit to Eureka!”.

Mission: Active Future is an innovative and interactive exhibition delivered to schools and community groups in a giant customised lorry. Through a series of physical challenges and multimedia exhibits, the exhibition transports children to the year 2105AD, to a time when Earth’s population has become so lazy and inactive it faces extinction. The children’s task is to join the ‘Active8’ team in a race against time to help save the planet by engaging in physical activity and making positive healthy lifestyle choices.

Councillor Adam Ogilvie, Leeds City Council’s executive member responsible for leisure services said:
“As ever, Breeze is bringing a whole host of exciting activities to banish the boredom during the summer holidays. The addition of Mission: Active Future as well as the great new inflatables we’ve got this year will mean another fun-packed day for youngsters from across the city at Cross Flatts Park.”
Mission: Active Future was originally launched in 2006 as Sport England’s flagship initiative for its Active England programme in Yorkshire & Humber. Over 20,000 children experienced the exhibition as it toured the region over two years.

Mission: Active Future’s journey into Leeds has been made possible through a grant from the Leeds Community Foundation as part of their Healthy Leeds programme.

Also at Cross Flatts Park next week is the ‘Three’ online bus. With a retractable roof, an expert on hand and an inside packed full of technology, young people will be able to make the most of Three’s technology.

For the more competitive youngsters, there is the chance to try out some great board games with ‘imagination gaming’, a brand new Team Lazer game (over 13s only), as well as football, rugby and 20/20 quick cricket.

Children and young people can just turn up with their Breezecard and can get in for free at every location on every day. If people can’t make it to Breeze on Tour they could try one of the mini Breeze events – it’s just like Breeze on Tour only a little bit smaller. For more details please visit breezeleeds.org.

The last Breeze on Tour of the season will take place at Kirkstall Abbey on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 August, 12 noon to 5pm.

For more information about Mission: Active Future contact Head of Learning at Eureka!, Liz Smallman on 01422 330069
ENDS
For media enquiries about Breeze on Tour, please contact: Emma Whittell, Leeds City Council press office, on (0113) 2474713 or email: emma.whittell@leeds.gov.uk

For press information and/or photos relating to Misson: Active Future and Eureka please contact: Allison Tara Sundaram 01422 330069 or e-mail allison.sundaram@eureka.org.uk.

Notes to the editor
• Eureka! is designed especially for children age 0-11, with over 400 hands on exhibits inspiring them to learn about themselves and the world around them through imagination, play and discovery. For visitor information call 01422 330069, visit www.eureka.org.uk, read the Eureka! blog, All in a day’s play, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
• The standard Eureka! ticket is now an Annual Pass. The Annual Pass entitles all of the party paid for on the day of the first visit to come back to Eureka! free of charge as many times as they like over the next 12 months. Adults*: £8.95, Children age 3+ : £8.95, Toddlers age 1-2: £2.95, Babies age 0-11 months: free, Saver Ticket (admits 5 people): £38.50. Read more about the Annual Pass.
• Eureka! is open daily 10am–5pm at weekends, during half-terms and holidays. Term-time Eureka! is open 10am –4pm Tuesday - Friday, and 10am-5pm Saturday and Sunday. The museum is closed on term-time Mondays and between 24-26 December.
• Eureka! is situated next door to Halifax railway station, just 10 minutes by car from junction 24 of the M62 and 17 miles from Leeds
• Eureka! is an educational charity no. 292758

Notes end.

Inspectors agree with council decision that illegal house in garden must come down

An attempt to overturn a council order to have an illegally-built house demolished has been thrown out by planning authorities.

Wajid Hussain had appealed against an enforcement notice issued by Leeds City Council ordering him to tear down the large two-storey detached house he had built in the rear garden of 11 Old Park Road in Gledhow.

Mr Hussain received permission in 2007 for a small garage and ‘granny annexe’, however he then built a much larger building. A retrospective planning application for the development was refused and an enforcement notice was served in August last year, requiring the building to be demolished.

He subsequently appealed against both the original planning refusal and the enforcement notice.

However, this week planning inspectors threw out both appeals and ordered that Mr Hussain must demolish the house, break up the foundation and return the garden to its former grassed state within 10 months.

Councillor David Congreve, chair of the planning committee for the east of the city, said:
“I am happy with the outcome as it reinforces our view that this building was inappropriate and intrusive.
“At a time when the ‘filling in’ of gardens is on the national agenda, we have a clear example of why it is important that planning regulations are properly enforced.”

ENDS
For media enquiries please contact:
Michael Molcher, Leeds City Council (0113) 224 3937
e-mail: michael.molcher@leeds.gov.uk

Leeds primary school set for revolutionary ‘Passivhaus’ design

Plans to give Richmond Hill Primary school one of the most cutting edge and energy-efficient school buildings in the world have been submitted to Leeds City Council.

Education Leeds is proposing to replace the school’s aging buildings with a unique new £10m facility designed and built to meet the revolutionary ‘Passivhaus’ design standards.

The school design uses an innovative approach to low energy buildings and will achieve exceptionally low running costs as it uses nominal amounts of energy for heating and cooling.

The school will also include a number of innovative and ‘futureproof’ features including wide corridors - or ‘learning streets’ - to allow for group and individual learning away from the traditional classroom; larger classrooms to allow for future flexibility across the school; small group rooms for personalised learning; dedicated multi-purpose community space; and a multi-purpose hall.

If approved, the new school - which is planned to open in September 2012 - will include a new three form of entry primary school, SEN (special education needs) provision for 16 children with autism and a nursery.

The SEN provision will provide a unique and specialist learning environment for 16 autistic children who will be able to learn in a purpose-built classroom as an alternative to a specialist placement.

Councillor Jane Dowson, executive board member for learning at Leeds City Council, said:
“These plans highlight our ambition to provide all children and young people with the best possible schools and education, wherever they live in Leeds. The proposed new Richmond Hill Primary School will be a state-of-the-art building which will offer nursery and primary education – as well as SEN provision – to children in east Leeds.

“It’s another example of a school building project going ahead in Leeds and we’ll continue to do everything we can to improve schools wherever possible.”

Chris Edwards, chief executive of Education Leeds, said:
“These plans outline the world class facilities which will benefit the whole community in Richmond Hill. Not only will the children have access to world-class facilities and classrooms and brilliant teaching, the wider community will also be able to use the facilities outside of normal school hours.

“The new school, which will be one of the most advanced school buildings in the world, will provide much needed additional places to meet the demand for primary school places in this part of Leeds. If the plans are approved, September 2012 will be an exciting time for education in Richmond Hill.”

Education Leeds is working with the council and the East Leeds Amateur Rugby League Club (ELARLC) to minimise disruption to the club during the rebuild and to ensure there are high standard facilities at the school once the school opens.

Education Leeds has committed to provide a turfed rugby league pitch to RFL (Rugby Football League) standards, fencing to separate the pitch from the school, ball-stop, dugouts and spectator barriers to the Richmond Hill site and a secured use of the pitch for the future.

If planning permission is granted, work is due to start on the school in January 2011 to open in September 2012.

ENDS

Notes to editors:
For more information on Passivhaus visit www.passivhaus.org.uk

For media enquiries please contact:
Jon Crampton, Leeds City Council press office, 0113 3951577
Email: jon.crampton@leeds.gov.uk