Bruce Mpofu moved to Bradford at aged 9 and has lived in the UK his whole life, moving to Yorkshire as a child with his mum - who works for the NHS.
He knows no one in Zimbabwe, the country he has just been deported to, and was given just £40 to start a new life with after Home Office officials made the decision to deport him for a crime he had committed years before.
Now aged 29, Bruce was deported for a crime he committed in 2010 - and which he has already served 11 months in jail for. He has not reoffended since.
However, when attending a routine immigration meeting in July, he found he was being detained.
Now, following a series of legal battles, he has been deported with just £40 in his pocket - having been put on a charter flight from Heathrow airport and flown to Harare, Zimbabwe following the decisino by Home Office officials.
A Go Fund Me has been set up to try and reverse the deportation and to help Bruce survive in Zimbabwe, where it is feared he will become homeless.
The appeal reads: "Whilst he made a mistake as a minor, he has nothing but been an upstanding citizen since and the decision from the Home Office seems cruel and unjust.
"Bruce was deported to Zimbabwe at 10pm on 25th August.
"Bruce has landed in Harare and the UK government have given him a huge sum of £40 to help him start his new life. This is why there are people who have been deported from the UK now sleeping rough in Zimbabwe.
"We are now desperately trying to raise funds to help prevent Bruce from being homeless. It will also help him with things that we take for granted such as food and clothing."
At the time of writing, the Go Fund Me appeal for Bruce has raised over £5,000.
Before this summer. no mass deportation flights had left for Zimbabwe in over a decade.
However, according to reports in Bradford's The Telegraph and Argus, it is said that the UK has "agreed a deal with the country’s new government which enables removals of Zimbabwean nationals who have served prison sentences in the UK of more than 12 months."
When the paper approached the Home Office for comment, they said:
“Foreign criminals who abuse our hospitality should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them. Since January 2019 we have removed 7,985 foreign national offenders from the UK.
“We only ever return those who we and, where applicable, the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and have no legal basis to remain in the UK.
“All people in IRCs are provided with a mobile phone and have access to landline telephones on request, fax machines, email, and video calling facilities which can be used to contact legal representatives. We check the signal regularly and no issues have been recorded.”
Trinity Leeds is transforming Trinity Kitchen into the ultimate space to watch all the World Cup 2026 action together.
Looking for somewhere to cheer on England in the 2026 World Cup? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered.
Foodie hotspot Trinity Kitchen has been completely transformed into the ultimate fan zone with space for up to 1,000 cheering fans.
And they’ve made sure that nobody misses out on the action.
There are three super-sized 5x3m screens dotted around the space, so wherever you go you won’t miss out on a goal.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
There’s also a brand-new bar courtesy of local favourites Northern Monk named the ‘Northern Monk Trinity Tap’.
The tap will feature two, seven-metre bars with a whopping 20 beer taps to keep you refreshed and hydrated during the tournament, because cheering the lads on really can be thirsty work.
If you don’t fancy a beer there’s also cocktails, wine and soft drinks on offer as well - so nobody has to miss out.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Feeling peckish? Of course there’s 11 street food vendors serving match day meals and snacks to keep you fuelled through the games.
Choose from Caribbean jerk chicken from Jerk Junction, Indian street food from Rolawala and loads more.
Entry is completely free but if you’re after a reserved seat on a table, tickets cost just £10.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Josie Towning, Food and Beverage Manager at Trinity Leeds, said: “Trinity Kitchen will operate as normal during the day, transforming into a football fan zone in the evening.
“It will be one of the biggest World Cup venues in Leeds with three huge screens showing the games live and more dotted around Trinity Kitchen. There will be live roaming brass bands and DJs turning every England fixture into a true celebration.
“Fans can turn up and grab a space for free and we will also be offering table bookings for England games for those who want to guarantee the best spots to watch the drama unfold.
“Our line-up of street food vendors will serve bold flavours from around the world, while the all-new Northern Monk Trinity Tap will pour award-winning craft beers across 20 taps, making Trinity Kitchen the ultimate place to eat, drink and experience every unforgettable World Cup moment."
It’s all kicking off on Wednesday 17 June for England v Croatia. So rally your mates together, get your England shirts on and grab your tickets here.
Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
News
Dishoom announces official opening date for new Leeds restaurant
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we've all been waiting for, Dishoom is coming to Leeds.
The whispers of Dishoom's arrival in Leeds city centre have been going on for a while now, but over the past few weeks it has started to feel very real.
Taking over the beautiful old Flannel's site on the coveted Vicar Lane, signs started to pop up for Dishoom and work was cracking on fast.
Well now, we have an opening date - and we don't have long to wait.
Dishoom Leeds will open on Monday 3 August, with guests being able to enjoy 50% off food during an initial soft-opening period, ahead of the official opening on Friday 14 August.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
As with every Dishoom café, the Leeds restaurant begins with a story. This one takes inspiration from the extraordinary true events surrounding the explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay Dock in April 1944, a wartime disaster that sent gold bars flying across the city.
Legend has it that some of the missing gold was never recovered. Some was discovered embedded in walls and rooftops across Bombay. Other pieces quietly disappeared into the hands of lucky citizens, melted into bangles or hidden away in drawers.
Dishoom Leeds reimagines the fortune made from the gold bars and guests will discover subtle references to the glamorous mid-century details through the interiors and artwork, giving playful nods to Bombay’s golden age.
With all day dining available, guests can dine on the beloved breakfast right through to late evening feasting, with the café will serve a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food inspired by the city’s cafés, grills, street stalls and family kitchens.
Shamil Thakrar, co-founder, also known as Head Babu, at Dishoom, said: “Leeds is a city with tremendous warmth, creativity and character, full of people who know the value of gathering together over good food and drinks. Bringing Dishoom here has long been a dream for us.”
"The story behind this café is rooted in one of Bombay’s most extraordinary moments – the day gold bars fell from the sky after the explosion of Fort Stikine in 1944. Amidst the tragedy and chaos, there were also tales of unexpected fortune, human resilience and hopeful reinvention. We were captivated by this, and we cannot wait to welcome Leeds into the café that pays homage to the heritage of Bombay.”
Georgina Pellant -
6th September 2021 
