A bird's-eye view of Leeds, Sheffield, and Yorkshire
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‘Dear Stranger’ – The handwritten love letter to Leeds penned by a travelling Yorkshireman
"This moment showed me what kind of city Leeds is, a city crowded with strangers who don’t want to see another fall. A city full of souls who silently care."
A handwritten love letter to Leeds penned by a travelling Yorkshireman has lifted locals' spirits after being spotted on a street in the city centre.
The letter, titled ‘Dear Stranger,’ is brimming with kindness and positivity for the city and the people who make it the special place that it is - calling Leeds 'a city full of souls who silently care.'
Written by author and Yorkshire-born lad Jay Ventress, the heartwarming note has been bringing a smile to the faces of passers-by after appearing on Boar Lane this week.
Jay's letter, which has been taped to a post box on Boar Lane, reads: "Dear Stranger, My name’s Jay. I’m a travelling writer wandering from city to city, country to country, posting letters like these across the walls with the hope to spark a fire in a stranger’s eye.
"Now I’m in Leeds I’m talking to you. I was posting my letters one week ago, it was a windy evening.
"I was carrying my letters, between my arm, and on this posting session I tripped, dropped my letters and out they blew across the sidewalk. At least fifty of them. Off they went, with the wind, never expecting to see them again.
"But to my surprise, the six random strangers around me dispersed up the street to recover my letters, all fifty of them.
"The moment took my breath away, it reminded me how beauty often has a strange way of showing itself in times of misfortune.
“You can’t see stars in the sunlight. And this moment showed me what kind of city Leeds is, a city crowded with strangers who don’t want to see another fall. A city full of souls who silently care.
"And you, reading my letter, are another one of those souls. Thank you.
"Acts like these prove humanity is alive in this town, the media might make out the world to be a soulless void, but if we open our eyes to the beauty around us, we’ll find traces of humanity burning bright and loud.
“Thank you for reading, you lovely human. Rock and Roll! -Jay. "
The 26-year-old Yorkshireman's letter writing campaign first began as a coping mechanism at the start of the pandemic, because, as he says himself, “at the time everything felt dark, I was a Brit trapped in Australia, so to brighten up my life I began writing little letters to make a stranger smile to make me smile.”
To date, his letters have spread far and wide across the globe - appearing in the UK, Belgium, Australia, and the United States of America.
They have been spotted in both Leeds and Manchester – with one person in the north west even taking the time to post a letter back in response.
In a post shared to Jay’s Instagram of different responses from around the world, one like-minded Brit wrote: “Hi! I hope you are well! I saw your note in Manchester today, and I just wanted to share how touching I found it.
“As someone who has also struggled in the past, I keep a long notes list in my phone of ‘moments of unsaid love’ that I witness to remind myself of how much around us goes unnoticed.
“It was so lovely to read something from someone likeminded, and I saw your note just when I needed to be reminded myself. Thank you again, I hope you have a lovely day Jay!”
The 26-year-old letter writer originally hails from Yorkshire, but moved to Manchester as a teenager and worked in the city before deciding to travel the world four years ago.
Tucked away from the bustling streets of the city centre you’ll find a Leeds institution that has been serving diners since 1991.
You've probably walked past Sous Le Nez hundreds of times and not popped in.
But if we can convince you to do anything, it's to head down those unassuming stairs on Quebec Street and ask for a table.
Set in a cavernous basement, the space is full of nooks and crannies, and in a flash, you’ll be whisked away to the South of France with stellar service and white tablecloths to match.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their food is classic French cuisine done to an excellent standard.
We're talking indulgent French onion soup, rich pan-seared duck breast, juicy rump steak with silky peppercorn sauce and moule-frites served in a sauce good enough for drinking.
And if the food isn't enough to get you excited, then wait until you hear about the wine list.
Featuring over 300 wines, you'll find a tipple to suit every taste and every flavour on the menu.
As well as its a la carte menu, they offers it's menu du soir which is available until 6:45pm on weekdays and on a Saturday lunch time.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
It includes three courses including half a bottle of excellent wine per person. I mean, you really can't get better value then that, can you?
More recently, renowned food critic Jay Rayner praised Sous Le Nez for its fabulous food and we couldn't agree more. And if it's good enough for Jay, then it's certainly good enough for us.
This is the sort of spot that is full of regulars no matter the time of day, whether they’re stopping by for a quick lunch or indulging in their evening menu - it’s no surprise they’ve been a firm Leeds favourite for over 30 years.
You can find out more about Sous Le Nez and book your table here.
How to spend a day in Hillsborough, one of Sheffield’s best-loved neighbourhoods
Clementine Hall
Venture out of the city centre to Hillsborough and allow us to plan your day.
We all know Hillsborough for its stadium, as well as its park which holds Sheffield's own Tramline festival and other events across the year.
But there's more to the neighbourhood then that, with its own bustling high street that's bursting with independents waiting to welcome you in.
So - you've just got to S6, here's what you're going to do...
Grab a coffee from Depot Bakery
Coach House, Hillsborough Park, S6 4HD
Images: The Sheff
You can't start a day of exploring without getting a healthy dose of caffeine in your system, and Depot Bakery is the best spot for it.
Established in 2014, this artisan bakery serves up beautiful bakes and fabulous coffee, all on the doorstep of Hillsborough Park which, coincidentally, brings us onto our next activity...
Have a wander around Hillsborough Park
Images: The Sheff
Okay, I know we said that the suburb had more to it than its park, but you can't go without having a gander through the greenery, right?
Grab your coffee to-go, have a mooch and breathe in that fresh Yorkshire air. There's also a play area if you're bringing the little ones too.
Grab some lunch at Frenzy
94 Middlewood Rd, Hillsborough, S6 4HA
Images: The Sheff
After all that walking and mooching you'll have most definitely worked up an appetite, and Frenzy is a great spot for a light bite.
This Mediterranean-inspired cafe serve everything from toasted focaccia sandwiches and salads to topped yoghurt bowls loaded with fresh fruit.
Explore Middlewood Road
Images: The Sheff
Time for some shopping, and Middlewood Road is Hillsborough's own little high street full of independent shops that are perfect for perusing.
A highlight is the gorgeous Hillsborough Bookshop that is proudly indie and bringing a specially curate collection of colourful, inclusive and representative books to S6.
Enjoy dinner at The Orange Bird
78 Middlewood Rd, Hillsborough, S6 4HA
Images: The Sheff
This is not only one of our favourite restaurants in Hillsborough, but it's one of our top spots in the whole of Sheffield.
Known for serving irresistible South African flavours, this place is just that little bit special and everything you order will be a big hitter amongst the table. Their lamb served on a bed of hummus is quite literally one of our death row dishes.
Georgina Pellant -
9th June 2023 
