Leeds 18 Plus Group
1997
Nominated for Best Group

Leeds 18 Plus in 1997

Publicity

Handouts were given out in Leeds City Centre to publicise the Open Night on Tuesday September 23rd. The 'Pudsey's Going home' sponsored walk also involved handing programmes/leaflets out.

Press releases were sent to the local papers covering the Group's 1st birthday party and several Open Nights, the Quiz and Party, Leeds 18 Plus winning the Area Competitions Trophy, the 8 mile 'Pudsey's Going home' sponsored walk for Children in Need and the Children in Need Challenge as seen on TV.

Library displays have appeared regularly in the Leeds City Library and district libraries.

Open nights were held on January 14th (this was the Group's 1st birthday party), February 4th, April 15th (this was a birthday party for Yorkshire Area's 20th anniversary) and September 23rd.

Charity/Community work

Leeds 18 Plus members have organised and taken part in several Charity events, including theYorkshire Area 18 Plus Charity challenge for their 20th Anniversary to raise funds for Children in Need. £100.00 was also donated to the National Childrens Home.

Leeds 18 Plus members helped to raise money at the Yorkshire Area 18 Plus`Coin Compass' collections at Shopping Centres in Hull, Harrogate, Wakefield and Doncaster, (See picture). Leeds members who were involved with the opening of the new Huddersfield 18 Plus Group organised a special 'Coin Compass' collection in Huddersfield.

Doncaster 18 Plus organised a sponsored walk over the Three Peaks for Children in Need, Leeds member, John Smith, (See picture) was the only member to complete the walk..

A mock auction and a slave auction were held at the Leeds 18 Plus Club night where money was raised for the Area Children in Need appeal, (See picture of Slaves Liz Sutcliffe, Dave Sugden and John Smith).

Two Leeds members did sponsored bike rides, Mick King cycled to AMMO and raised money by having his head and beard shaved. John Smith cycled to TAG.

On Saturday November 1st a sponsored walk entitled 'Pudsey's Going home' was organised, this involved a member dressed as Pudsey Bear being pushed in a wheelchair from Leeds to Pudsey, a distance of about eight miles. A collection along the walk raised £150 for Children in Need.

National involvement

Leeds 18 Plus members were seen at the ANC, including 2 delegates,7 members attended AMMO (a team was entered), 2 members attended TAG and 11 members went to WASH.

Area involvement

Leeds 18 Plus members have been to all the Area Dances in large numbers. Several members were seen at the Area Picnic in June, and also at the Area Conferences both in May and November. We usually have 2 or 3 members at each AEC meeting and Publicity Action Group meeting and 4 members also attended the Area training day. Leds 18 Plus provided the majority of the volunteers for the Children in Need Challenge which was broadcast on November 21st live on TV.

Other events & activities

The Group had an active and varied programme of events in 1997, this included visits to other Groups in the Area.

Competitions

Leeds 18 Plus group have entered at least 1 team in every Area Competition., and finished 1st overall in the Area Competitions Trophy. A team was entered at AMMO and we reached our highest ever position 15th.

Competition results

April 27 1997 Area 10 Pin Bowling

May 10 1997 Area Quiz 4th

June 21 1997 Five a side football 2nd

August 2 1997 Cluecatcher 4th

August 30 1997 Sandcastles 1st

September 6 1997 War of the Roses 2nd

Inter-group involvement

Leeds 18 Plus organised the Area Quiz and Dance on May 10th 1997. Nine teams from around the Area entered including 3 teams from Leeds.

The 'Pudsey's Going home' sponsored walk to Pudsey was opened to other Groups in the Area. Several members from Rothwell, Huddersfield and Bradford 18 Plus Groups attended and it was very successful.

Group Night attendance

Average attendance is 15. An average of 4 visitors from other groups also attend.

January 1997 Full Members 6 Associate Members 7

Dec Full Members 7 Associate Members 8

Community Work

No community work as such has been undertaken however the Group has worked hard to raise money for the Children in Need appeal.

18 Plus Spirit

There is an excellent fun spirit within the group. The whole Group participates in Programme planning. Members from other 18 Plus Groups are always made welcome at Club nights and weekend events. The Group participates in the Area Publicity campaigns, and the Area Competitions trophy. Leeds 18 Plus also has two members on the Area Committee, Publicity/Development Officer and Magazine Editor. Leeds 18 Plus formed the Development Committee of the new Huddersfield 18 Plus Group.

Committee

A Full Committee was elected for the first half of the year minus Activities Officer, this post was covered by an Associate member. For the second half of the year a full Committee was elected, however the Publicity Officer soon resigned, and the post was covered by the rest of the Committee. Both Committees worked well together as a team and achieved all their goals.

New Group Development

Leeds 18 Plus members have helped to open the new Huddersfield 18 Plus Group. Two Leeds members have helped form the Development Comittee, Chairman and Treasurer.

Leeds 18 Plus often do joint weekend events in both Huddersfield and Leeds, members also attend club nights regularly. Huddersfield is approximately 25 miles from Leeds.

Huddersfield now have 6 members and plan to continue beyond Development status in 1998.

Trophies won by Leeds 18 Plus Group