Leeds Basketball Festival 2025 – Celebrating Unity Through Basketball

Our annual Black History Month event, the Leeds Basketball Festival, was another huge success in 2025. Over 250 people came through the doors of the Mandela Community Centre to celebrate unity through basketball and the incredible community that Let’s Do More (LDM) has built over the years.

Why Black History Month?

Each year, we use the festival to honour the achievements, resilience, and contributions of Black people — both past and present — as we continue our mission to lead the way in inclusive sport across Leeds.
Black History Month gives us a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come as a society, while recognising that there’s still progress to be made to ensure fair and equal opportunities for everyone.

Festival Highlights

The day began with team photos, as our media partner MoFlickedIt led the 2025/26 Media Day, capturing all our age group teams in style. It was a brilliant opportunity for young players to step in front of the camera, represent their teams, and show pride in the ever-growing LDM family.

We were also delighted to welcome guests from West Yorkshire Police, Leeds Youth Service, Leeds City Council and Basketball England, alongside our fantastic sponsors Curls Inc, who brought positive energy and free hair consultations to “free your curls!”

Adding to the atmosphere, Ansell Broderick filled the centre with the rhythms of the motherland, performing live African drumming and encouraging young people to join in, creating an unforgettable moment of connection and celebration.

A huge thank you goes to Greggs, who donated crates of food for attendees throughout the weekend — a brilliant example of a national brand supporting local community organisations. Their new outlet on Chapeltown Road, just a two-minute walk from our Mandela Centre home, is already a valued neighbour.

The Main Event – Coaches vs Players Game

Before tip-off, the crowd was treated to an incredible live performance by RJC Dance, whose dancers brought energy, rhythm and style to the court. Their choice to wear LDM’s signature colours — blue on white — added an extra layer of pride to a performance that perfectly captured the spirit of the day.

Then came the highlight of the event — the Coaches vs Players Game, where the coaches went 2-0 with a 92–79 victory over the young team.
There were standout performances on both sides, with plenty of highlight plays keeping the crowd entertained from start to finish. Last year, it was Jimmy Macauley who stole the show, but this time LDM CEO Loran Lewis delivered a star performance, with some big moments throughout. Looks like that marathon training is paying off in more ways than one!

Thank You & What’s Next

A total of £300 was raised on the day, which will go toward supporting our sessions and community activities over the coming year.
We’re already planning to make next year’s festival our biggest yet, so if you’re an organisation that wants to get involved or support, please get in touch at info@letsdomore.org.uk.

A massive thank you to all our team sponsors for the 2025/26 season: