Showcasing personal stories from local athletes, including Leeds Rhinos player Stevie Ward, the immersive event explores the fascinating history of sports injury.
Thackray Museum of Medicine has announced the launch of its summer season’s schedule, featuring an exciting lineup of exhibitions and events related to sports for all the family.
Entitled "On the Bench," the exhibition presents the opportunity to learn the science behind sports from different perspectives. From professional athletes and sports medical professionals to sports enthusiasts.
Launching 22 July 2023, anyone is invited to embark on an unforgettable journey into the world of sports, injuries, and triumph.
Image: Thackray Museum of Medicine
The main exhibition will focus on showcasing the incredible individual stories of injury from former Leeds Rhinos captain Stevie Ward, and the brilliant untold story of Norman Francis (Coach for Let's Do More Basketball), while the Leeds Roller Dolls Rollerderby will focus on team sport injuries.
Objects donated by the athletes alongside medical and physiotherapy equipment routinely used to treat sports injuries will be on display, telling the stories of their careers, injuries, treatment, and road to recovery.
The exhibit also includes photographs by the phenomenal Ian Beesley, showcasing his documentation of the Bradford Bulls during their peak of fame in the memorable 2001 season.
Image: Thackray Museum of Medicine
Commenting on the exhibition, Stevie Ward expressed his excitement: "It appears the injuries I had in my career are resulting in something I could never have imagined! I am so proud to be part of creating “On the Bench” alongside the Thackray Museum of Medicine.
"With Thackray at the heart of such a huge sporting city like Leeds, I think it’s going to be the first remarkable insight and look behind the curtain into how athletes recover both mentally and physically in the pursuit of glory.”
To celebrate the opening of On The Bench, families are invited to take part in activities exploring how athletes prevent injuries and how they are treated if they do across the school holidays.
From trying your hand at physical warm-up routines used by your favourite sports stars to testing your skills at sling and cast making.
To find out more about these activities and tickets to the exhibition, take a look at the Thackray Museum of Medicine's website.
Get ready to take the plunge Leeds, as a community-led sauna and ice bath concept is on its way.
Hidden behind a railway arch in Saxton Gardens, Kontrast is gearing up to bring its popular sauna and ice bath concept to the city.
Following the huge success of its Manchester site, Kontrast Leeds will combine saunas, ice baths and a cafe designed to bring wellness into everyday life.
The Leeds space will feature two traditional saunas, one infrared saunas and four ice baths each varying in temperature between 3 and 13 degrees.
Images: Supplied
Plunge pools can be enjoyed solo or shared, depending on what guests choose, giving people the opportunity to shape each session around exactly what they need that day.
To suit different moods and preferences, Kontrast Leeds will include both a social sauna and a silent sauna, giving guests the option to come for conversation or reflection.
Single sessions will cost just £12 for 45 minutes, with 90-minute sessions from £20.
Image: Supplied
Known for making sauna and ice feel more accessible, welcoming and community-driven, Kontrast has grown beyond regular sessions to become a base for recurring events. These include their live ambient DJ set event, Unwind, which celebrates local talent, and their weekly run club, both of which the team hopes to bring to Leeds as part of building a similar sense of community in the city.
The Leeds site builds on everything the team has learned from Kontrast in Manchester.
Alongside the core sauna, Ice, cafe offering, the new site will include improved facilities, more spacious sauna provision and additional ice baths meaning more room for people to get involved.
Myles Smith announces HUGE arena gig in Leeds this year
Thomas Melia
Singer-songwriter Myles Smith has just announced his biggest headline tour and is set to play a huge arena gig in Leeds this year.
Quit ‘Stargazing’ and get ready to fight for tickets as Myles Smith has just announced he’ll be visiting Leeds later this year for his biggest arena gig to date.
Known for hits like ‘Nice To Meet You’, ‘Stay (If You Wanna Dance)’ and ‘Wait For You’, this BRIT School graduate is now heading on the road for some headline shows across the UK.
Recognised for his folk-pop sound, Smith has built quite a name for himself just three or so years into his career, with solo efforts and a few collaborations under his belt.
Myles Smith is heading to First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds, on tour this year / Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Recently, the Luton-born artist collaborated with some well-known names like Shaboozey on their track ‘Blink Twice’ and even features on a new single from former One Direction member Niall Horan titled ‘Drive Safe’.
It was only last year that the ‘Stargazing’ songwriter visited Leeds, bringing his high-energy hits to O2 Academy back in February.
Now, Smith is ready to tackle an arena crowd and has chosen Leeds First Direct Bank Arena and is expected to raise the roof when 13,500 fans flock to the star’s show this winter.
Titled after his upcoming album My Mess, My Life, My Heart, Smith will be playing a variety of well-known and brand new hits when he makes his way up North.
Fans who are signed up to the official artist presale can get exclusive access to tickets from Wednesday, 25 March at 10am, with the window closing on Friday, 27 March at 9am.
Meanwhile, general admission tickets go live by 10 am that same Friday (27 Mar).
Myles Smith is embarking on his ‘My Mess, My Life, My Heart’ tour this winter and visiting First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds on Sunday 8 November – tickets and more info HERE.
Clementine Hall -
25th July 2023 
