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.
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
The 42-year-old Kirkgate Market stall serving freshly shucked oysters for £1.90 a pop
Clementine Hall
Tucked away in Leeds Kirkgate Market you'll find a wonderful seafood stall selling freshly shucked oysters for £1.90 each.
It's places like these that remind us why we love Leeds so much.
Established in 1880, Hayes Seafood is widely regarded as the oldest trader within the historic Kirkgate Market.
For the past 42 years, it has been run by Cliff and Michelle, the loveliest couple who welcome every customer with open arms.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The menu here is small but perfectly formed, focusing on fresh, ready-to-eat seafood that you can enjoy with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of mayonnaise at most.
Delivered fresh every morning, there's pre-cracked crab shells, brown and white crab meat, cockles, crawfish tails - all perfectly prepared for you to eat at their bar or high tables opposite.
But, it's the oysters that you'll see people queueing for. And rightly so.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Everything here is prepared to order right in front of you, and for no extra fee. You can choose from two types of oysters: super salty Lindisfarne oysters or the slightly sweeter English Loch Fyne.
We recommend having a couple of each, pulling up a stool right by the counter and getting stuck in. If you ask Cliff nicely, he might tell you a bit about the history of the place - but you may have to order a couple more oysters for that.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
You're left to dress them yourself, whether you prefer dash of fiery tabasco or a few pickled shallots. But to be honest, they're delicious just as they come.
This spot is a real piece of Leeds history, and the queues at lunchtime as well as the repeat regular customers proves just how special it is.
All it's missing is a champagne stall next to it...now wouldn't that be perfect?
Clementine Hall -
25th July 2023 
