CAMPAIGNERS and local politicians are launching a "big push" to save Yeadon's sailing centre.

The Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre at Yeadon Tarn has fallen victim to a round of cuts by Leeds City Council. The council is facing a £119 million black hole in its finances, against a background of Covid costs and a decade of government funding cuts.

The campaign group Save Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre has been working alongside Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel and Leeds City Councillor Ryk Downes to find ways of ensuring the centre survives. They are calling on practitioners, businesses, community organisations and social enterprises to join them in forming a bid for a community asset transfer.

The group wants to get together all interested parties to form a consortium to take ownership of the centre in a community asset transfer if the future of the centre is to leave council ownership.

An online event is scheduled for Thursday, February 11 at 7pm. Businesses and social enterprises can email save.lsac20@gmail.com to register their interest.

Jackie Friend of Save LSAC said: "Our group has been pushing for the council to retain the centre. If they refuse to keep this irreplaceable resource, we must find a different way forward. Schools, community organisations, and local residents of all ages are desperate to get back to the activities they love. Keeping active outside has never been so important to people.”

Mr Sobel said: "LSAC is a hugely important resource in our community, and we cannot let it close without a fight. Before being an MP I had 15 years of experience in developing community bids and supporting social enterprises to take over council buildings all over Yorkshire. The Save LSAC campaign have been effective and strategic in the way they have gone about their campaigning efforts so far. We need a joined-up approach and make a big push for community ownership in order to save the sailing centre for all its current and future users. If you are a business, community organisation or social enterprise who might be able to join our group, please do register your interest for the event.”

Cllr Downes said: "The activities at LSAC are used by many schools and young people across the city and provide excellent facilities for those with disabilities and also BAME communities to become water confident and enjoy water based sports. There is no other service like it in Leeds, to close the centre would deprive many of the opportunity to learn about water safety and to enjoy open water activities. We will work together to try to secure a future for the much loved and much used LSAC.”

Leeds City Council's plans to close the sailing and activity centre were outlined in October as part of a package of money-saving measures.