Who are the West Edinburgh Warriors?

West Edinburgh Warriors are a 3-year-old basketball club with a very strong and inclusive ethos. The club is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the young people in the West of Edinburgh, of which around 30% live in deciles 1-2 of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation.

basketballscotland took a “time-out” to speak with some of the dedicated workforce behind the growth of the club which has seen membership increase to over 100 members in the last year, and to hear their concerns about plans to increase the cost of access to Edinburgh Leisure facilities.

What are the proposed changes?

The current proposals would see rise in facility hire for young people during “non-core hours” of 64%, which would force the club to reduce the number of youth sessions significantly next season – with the risk of the club closing if prices continue at this rate. The increase will see clubs in Edinburgh pay £56 per hour compared to £19 last year.

Speaking on the proposed changes, Louise Moyes, Chair of West Edinburgh Warriors said:

“Everyone involved in our club goes to great lengths to ensure that the young people in the West of Edinburgh have the opportunity to become fit and active through basketball. Not only do we have teams in the age groups from Under 8s to Senior Men’s, we also run holiday camps, primary leagues and run community programmes in primary schools. We are dedicated to making sure that all involved have the best time possible. Allowing them to not only become fitter, more active and learn new skills but also develop lifelong friendships.”

Tom Griffin, Club Development Officer at West Edinburgh Warriors told basketballscotland about some of the people he has worked with in his time at the club, and the impact that the proposed pricing changes could have on the children involved with the club. Watch Tom’s video here:

What can you do to support clubs in Edinburgh?

If you would like to support our campaign, you can share our tweets about the campaign HERE. We would also encourage you to contact your local councillor or MSP to raise your concerns about the increase in price to access Edinburgh Leisure facilities.