Leeds

Kevin Sinfield announces new ‘Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge’ for MND disease

Sophie Smith Sophie Smith - 26th September 2022

Kevin Sinfield is no stranger to pushing the boundaries.

In the past year, the Leeds Rhinos player has completed a 101 mile run in 24 hours; ran 10k with Rob Burrow and in 2020, the sportsman ran seven marathons in seven days, raising over £2.7 million for charity.

Now Sinfield has announced that he plans to run from Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh to Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, spanning across seven days.

The 'Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge' will see the former Rhinos captain to run over 60 km each day in order to reach the destination in time, and will travel through Melrose, Newcastle, York, Bradford, Middlesborough and Leeds before arriving in Manchester.

The idea is that Sinfield will reach Old Trafford at half-time during the men's rugby league World Cup final on Saturday 19 November, having set off six days prior on Sunday 13 November 2022.

Having already raised a whopping £5.5 million for charity from previous challenges, this time, Sinfield aims to raise a further £777,777 for people living with MND.

The pair played together for Leeds Rhinos. Sinfield played for the team for 18 years and Burrow, 16.

Sinfield told BBC Breakfast this morning that he "want the MND community, Rob, Doddie, Stephen and Ed to know there are people willing to go to some dark places for them".

The challenge will see the money donated split between five different charities that work to support people affected by Motor Neurone Disease.

Two years after his retirement in 2017, Rob Burrow was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, a life-changing condition that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord.

So far, Sinfield has raised just over £3000 since the announcement less than 24 hours ago, and it is expected this number will only continue to increase as the challenge date looms closer.

You can donate to the Sinfield Ultra 7 in 7 Challenge via the dedicated Give As You Live Page here.

Feature Image- Leicester Tigers

Leeds

Jane McDonald at First Direct Arena, Leeds – tickets, times and more for UK tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

West Yorkshire's very own Jane McDonald is coming to First Direct Arena in Leeds for a hometown show that's set to be spellbinding.

Making her British TV screen debut nearly 30 years ago on The Cruise, before joining the Loose Women panel and going on to present a whole host of travel shows including Cruising with Jane McDonald, now this Wakefield legend returns to First Direct Arena.

This latest tour titled after her 2026 LP Living The Dream, will see Jane singing hits from both past and present including a couple covers too.

Earlier this year, Jane's Mighty Hoopla performance went viral online after she commanded the stage in a red leather jacket, donning a singular rainbow hair extension while belting out RAYE's 'Where Is My Husband!'

Audio North even got the opportunity to interview this legendary lady when she visited her hometown HMV store in Wakefield for an exclusive album signing - Oh look, it's me!

Gig guide - Jane McDonald at First Direct Arena, Leeds

Jane McDonald UK tour dates

  • Sat 29 August - Blackpool, UK - Blackpool Opera House
  • Sun 30 August - Blackpool, UK - Blackpool Opera House
  • Tue 1 September - Newcastle, UK - O2 City Hall
  • Wed 2 September - Aberdeen, UK - P&J Live
  • Fri 4 September - Glasgow, UK - SEC Armadillo
  • Sat 5 September - Edinburgh, UK - Usher Hall
  • Mon 7 September - Brighton, UK - Brighton Centre
  • Tue 8 September - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
  • Thu 10 September - Manchester, UK - AO Arena
  • Fri 11 September - Liverpool, UK - M&S Bank Arena
  • Sat 12 September - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
  • Tue 15 September - London, UK - London Palladium
  • Wed 16 September - London, UK - London Palladium
  • Sat 19 September - Belfast, UK - Waterfront Hall
  • Sun 20 September - Belfast, UK - Waterfront Hall
  • Wed 23 September - Sheffield, UK - Utilita Arena
  • Thu 24 September - Bournemouth, UK - Bournemouth International Centre
  • Fri 25 September - Cardiff, UK - Utilita Arena
  • Sat 26 September - Leeds, UK - First Direct Arena

Are there any tickets left for Jane McDonald at First Direct Arena?

Jane McDonald is visiting First Direct Arena in Leeds city centre on Saturday 26 September and you've still got time to bag yourself a seat or two.

Don't be left saying 'How Do I Move On' without seeing this Wakefield performer live, as there's still a variety of tickets available HERE.

Jane McDonald setlist for 2026 UK tour

The Wakefield wonder-woman's latest album Living The Dream was released in March and considering the tour is named after this impressive LP, we're sure fans can expect to hear quite a few tracks from this album.

  • Living The Dream
  • I'll Not Be Beaten
  • You Don't Know What You Got
  • Don't Mind If I Do
  • The Hand That Leads Me
  • Ain't Gonna Beg
  • I Will Always Love You
  • Islands in the Stream
  • Jolene
  • 9 to 5
  • You're My World
  • Where Is My Husband!
  • Let the Light In
  • Cake by the Ocean
  • Jai Ho!
  • APT.
  • Right Where I Belong
  • How Do I Move On
  • Beautiful Soul
  • All By Myself
  • You Still Lead Me

Of course, Jane also loves to cover a tune or two, and we'll never forget her renditions of 'Cake By The Ocean', 'Jai Ho' or 'APT.'.

What are the stage times for Jane McDonald in Leeds?

The doors for Jane McDonald's Living The Dream Tour in Leeds are set for 6pm with the event set to start at 7.30pm.

First Direct Arena has a curfew of 11pm meaning you have enough time to dash home and eat 'Cake by the (Sofa)' before ringing in the new day.

How to get to First Direct Arena

Bus Station

Located on Dyer Street next to Leeds City Bus Station and approx. 15min walk from first direct arena and is wheelchair friendly.

Support and help for any persons with a disability is available as the station is a registered ‘Safe place’ to come into and ask for assistance.

Nearest Bus Stops

  • Clay Pit Lane
  • Wade Lane/Lovell Park Road
  • Woodhouse Lane

Nearest Train Station

Leeds City Station on New Station Street is around a 15min walk from first direct arena and a major hub on the national, regional and local rail network providing connections to a wide variety of destinations.

Parking

There are over 7,500 car parking spaces within a 15-minute walk of the arena. The arena doesn’t have it’s own car park however there are lots of options nearby. To receive 5% off Q Park when attending a show at first direct arena click here

The nearest Car Park with EV charging is located on Albion Street click here.

None of the above car parks are operated by the arena so for questions, queries or comments we ask that you contact the companies directly.

Hiring Bikes in Leeds 

If you’re looking to hire a bike in Leeds, here are some of the best options you can try:

  • Beryl bikes – you’ll find the ‘Leeds City Bikes’ from Beryl stationed throughout the city. These are all e-bikes, and they’re available to hire on a pay-as-you-go basis. It costs £1 to unlock the bikes, and then 16p per minute to use them. We’d say these are great for zipping around the city and getting from A to B.
  • Talio – for a wider selection of electric bikes to choose from, Talio based at Buslinthorpe Green is a great option. From this company, you can hire cruiser bikes, mountain bikes, and cargo bikes. Prices start from £20 per day for rental, but if you’re hiring for a month or longer you’ll get a good discount.

Read more: James Blunt announces huge European tour, kicking off in Leeds

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Featured Image: Press Shot (via Matt Crockett)

Leeds

The independent Leeds cafe speaking up after massive coffee chain opens opposite

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

An independent bakery and coffee shop in Leeds has spoken out after a huge chain opened its doors opposite her cafe.

Savannah Roqaa, owner of The Savvy Baker, has said that she's on a mission to overtake the sales of Blank Street, the massive matcha chain that opened just metres away within weeks of her new site.

She said that while her brand is best-known for its baked goods, they also specialise in high-quality matcha - something Sav says wasn't in good supply in Leeds at the time she opened.

And now she's publicly spoken out about her mission to tempt people away from the big chain and into her independent business.

In a video shared online, Sav has been inviting customers leaving Blank Street to swap their matcha for one of hers, free of charge.

She then remakes the white chocolate matcha herself, but using quality Callebaut white chocolate, melting real chocolate into the drink.

The customer in the video says: "You can tell, it's way sweeter and like actually white chocolate tasting. And the matcha is greener, which is better."

Sav from The Savvy Baker has spoken of her mission to overtake Blank Street
Sav from The Savvy Baker has spoken of her mission to overtake Blank Street
Matcha from The Savvy Baker in Leeds
Matcha from The Savvy Baker in Leeds

Sav said: "So when we signed the lease on literally the biggest risk ever, which is this huge shop in Leeds city centre, we had absolutely no idea that Blank Street were opening their biggest store in the entire world across the road.

"They are a global brand that is obviously very very popular, and we just wanted to try and at least match their sales."

She said that she's heard Blank Street sells 5,000 drinks every single week and is hoping to increase sales at The Savvy Baker enough to match.

Sav said: "Last week we sold 890 drinks. We've converted one, so that is 4,109 more people to convert...

"But we have a lot more tricks up our sleeve, so follow along to see if we can do it. And we would massively appreciate any support that you can give us."

Read more: All of the best places to get matcha in Leeds City Centre

Featured image: The Hoot Leeds

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