Players from the Leeds United Academy recently paid a special festive visit to local charity Holbeck Together to show their support for the Healthy Holidays initiative.
The Under-18s squad were on hand in the local community last week to help pack some Christmas Eve boxes that will be distributed to the most deprived families in the local area ahead of Christmas Day, to ensure the younger children in the community have something special to open.
Throughout every school holiday, Holbeck Together deliver a 'Healthy Holidays' programme that supports families and provides youngsters in the area with fun activities to get involved in that they usually wouldn't have access to. The programme also offers support with food and supplies for those families that are really struggling.
During the festive period the charity have been delivering various initiatives to help keep spirits high and ensure families are able to enjoy this special time of the year. They are putting together Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner boxes, whilst a special party is also being held at Elland Road for members, similar to the one held recently for the elder members of the local community.
Many families that are supported by the charity live in the shadows of Elland Road, and this can be a time when they struggle the most, especially with the effects of COVID-19 over the past few years. The charity have been working hard to support these families and spead some festive cheer, to ensure noone is going without this Christmas.
Max Dean from the Leeds United Under-18s squad said: "It's been great to help out today, obviously we're all in a really priviledged position to be at the club everyday so if we can take a step back and try to help other people then that's brilliant for us and for them.
"Things like this also really help us come together as a team, by working together off the pitch to understand other people's situations and how we can help, it then helps us a team on the pitch."
One of the staff members at Holbeck Together also spoke to LUTV during the visit, and said: "The players came down today because we have a Healthy Holidays programme that is running for children in our community that don't get to experience some of the things that other children are able to.
"It's been fantastic having their support and seeing them get involved, the players have helped us to pack our Christmas Eve boxes so every child from the 60 families we work with will have a box to open that will be filled with different goodies.
"I know all of the families are really grateful for everything we are trying do for them, and to Leeds United for their ongoing support."
For more information on the fantastic work being done by Holbeck Together, or to find out how you can show your support, please click here.
