A fundraiser has been launched to help the family of Leeds brewery owner Jesus Moreno cover the costs of his funeral.
The co-founder of Piglove Brewery disappeared last summer but his body was only found this month following an eight-month search.
A Go Fund Me page has now been set up to help his loved ones cover the cost of his funeral, which will take place in May at Cottingley Crematorium.
Afterwards, family and friends will raise a beer at 'one of his happy places, Piglove by the River.'
So far, the fundraiser has beaten its target of £4,000 with its total sitting at £4,160 at the time of writing.
A statement from Jesus's family and friends reads: "To all of you that have supported our continued search for Jesus Moreno, thank you.
"We are sorry to tell you that after over eight months of heartache our beloved ‘Chucho’ has been found.
"His funeral service will be held at Cottingley Crematorium, Leeds on Monday 22nd May @ 12:15pm.
"We invite all of you, who are able, to attend and to please join us in raising a beer to his memory afterward at one of his happy places Piglove by the River.
"We are all devastated to hear of his passing and were not prepared for the high costs of a funeral service.
"We have been inundated with well wishes and during this difficult time are reaching out to you to help.
Jesus Moreno, 41, was the co-founder of craft brewery Pig Love and a much-loved member of Leeds’ local hospitality scene.
According to West Yorkshire Police, he was last seen boarding a Harrogate-bound bus from Leeds bust station in the early hours of the morning before getting off on the A61 Harrogate Road in the vicinity of Swindon Lane near Dunkeswick at 6.39am.
He was last seen on CCTV near to Harewood Bridge at 6.14am that morning, but family and friends maintain they don’t know why he would have gone to Harrogate – insisting that he was in “good spirits all weekend and up early, and ready for work on Monday.”
The staff at Piglove said at the time: “Nobody knows why Jesus chose to travel to Harrogate. His daughter and all his family are extremely worried for his well-being.No one has seen or heard from Jesus since."
Featured image - West Yorkshire Police
Leeds
Kevin Sinfield will return to Leeds for his final 7 in 7 challenge in honour of Rob Burrow
Leeds legend Kevin Sinfield is set to take on his seventh and final 7 in 7 challenge this month.
The former Leeds Rhinos captain will begin 7 in 7: The Grand Finale next Sunday 27 September.
Wondering what on earth that is? Allow us to fill you in.
Sinfield will be running an ultra-marathon every day for seven days, and this time it's across the north of England including a special stop off right here in Leeds.
Not only that, but the challenge will bring Sinfield back to some of the places that have played a huge part in his rugby league career.
The route will visit all 12 English Betfred Super League grounds, starting at Hull KR before travelling through Yorkshire and eventually crossing the Pennines towards Manchester where Sinfield is from.
Here in Leeds, we can expect Sinfield to arrive at Headingley Stadium on Wednesday 30 September at 11:14am, before leaving towards Pudsey Civic Hall at 11:40am.
The challenge will then finish at Old Trafford on Saturday 3 October, where Sinfield will arrive ahead of the Super League Grand Final.
Since the first annual challenge back in 2020, Kevin Sinfield and his team have raised over £11 million for the MND community with six charities set to benefit once again from this years fundraising.
It's an amazing challenge for an amazing cause, and you can donate and find out more about the challenge here.
Good luck Kevin and the team, we know you'll smash it.
Fences at Leeds Playhouse – walls, wounds and what we leave behind | Review
Declan Kelly
Leeds Playhouse delivers a powerful story about the walls we build.
August Wilson’s Fences is a powerful and deeply personal family drama, exploring race, fatherhood, ambition and the emotional scars that can be passed from one generation to the next.
At Leeds Playhouse, the strength of the production lies largely with its cast. Ray Fearon gives Troy Maxson a commanding presence, balancing humour and charm with a growing sense of anger and resentment. It is an uncomfortable performance at times, but one that keeps you invested in Troy even when his actions become increasingly difficult to accept.
Madeline Appiah brings real warmth and emotional depth to Rose, while Josh Tedeku captures Cory’s frustration as a young man determined to make his own way rather than inherit his father’s limitations.
Image: Supplied
For me, though, Act 2 is where the production really comes alive.
The first half feels comparatively restrained. That isn't necessarily a criticism of the performances or Wilson's writing, but having experienced previous Headlong productions, I went in expecting a little more theatrical imagination from the staging. There were moments where I felt the production could have pushed the material further visually.
Act 2 begins to deliver that.
The rotating set adds movement and energy, while the bright LED lighting works particularly well with the live music, creating a more heightened atmosphere as the family's tensions reach breaking point. The production suddenly feels more visually ambitious, and the design starts to work hand-in-hand with the emotional journey of the characters.
Images: Supplied
The fence itself is an effective recurring image, initially a practical task, but gradually becoming a representation of Troy's need for control, protection and separation. The more the story unfolds, the more the fence feels like a barrier between Troy and the people he loves.
There is a lot to admire here, particularly in the performances, and Wilson's writing remains as relevant and affecting as ever. However, I couldn't help feeling that some of the theatrical ambition found in Act 2 could have been introduced earlier.
Ultimately, Fences is a moving and thought-provoking evening, with a particularly strong second half. For me, it was Act 2 that turned a solid production into a genuinely memorable one.
Running until 23 September at Leeds Playhouse, get your tickets here.
Georgina Pellant -
24th April 2023 
