Black Sheep Brewery has announced the success of its Burrow Blonde, a beer produced in honour of Leeds Rhino legend, Rob Burrow CBE.
Rob sadly passed away on Sunday 2 June at the age of just 41, following a four-and-a-half-year battle with Motor Neurone Disease.
The brewery have announced that the profits for the ‘Burrow’s Blonde’ have raised more than £20,000, with profits from June sales of the beer going straight to Rob’s charitable endeavours in his honour.
10p of every pint and bottle sold has been donated to the Rob Burrow 7 Discretionary Trust and the Rob Burrow Racing Club, raising money and awareness for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) community.
Image: Black Sheep Brewery
Jo Theakston, Executive Director at Black Sheep Brewery, said: “It was an incredible honour to brew Rob’s own beer, Burrow’s Blonde, and to host Rob, Lindsey, and family at our brewery last year. The entire team here at Black Sheep is devastated; there was no one quite like Rob and he remains a hero to so many of our team in Masham.
“By donating all profits from sales of Burrow’s Blonde in June to Rob’s MND charities, we’re hoping to boost fundraising efforts in his memory. Alongside this, we look forward to the many fundraising events coming up throughout the year, and we will continue raising money for the MND community, in Rob’s name, for many years to come.”
Phil Hawthorne, the mastermind behind The Good Racing Co., said: “Rob will continue to inspire us all here at the Good Racing Co and we’re forever grateful to have worked alongside him, and his family, so closely to launch the Rob Burrow Racing Club.
“We’re thrilled to see Black Sheep Brewery has already raised £20,000 for a great cause and we strongly encourage Rob’s fans to raise a glass of Burrow’s Blonde for the man himself this June, with every pint supporting a fantastic cause.”
The final go-ahead is expected to be given for work to start on a major new £15million sports hub in Holbeck.
Senior councillors are expected to give the approval next Wednesday 11 March at an executive board meeting.
An agreement will be made on a contractor to complete the work which will bring state-of-the-art sports pitches and a community space to the city.
Holbeck Sports Hub will provide three full-size artificial grass football pitches, two multi-use games areas and a building with changing rooms and a café.
Image: Supplied
Work is expected to begin in August 2026 and is set to be built at the site of the former Matthew Murray High School.
The plan is to also provide a home to a new GP surgery as well as a children’s play area and walking and running routes through the green space which sits off Brown Lane East and Ingram Road.
Image: Supplied
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “We look forward to the work starting on the Holbeck Sports Hub, which will be a significant asset to the local community and residents in south Leeds.
“It will provide affordable and accessible quality sports pitches, providing more opportunities for physical activity and play and spaces to meet up and connect.
“We are also working towards an agreement with a GP practice so that the area can benefit from new high-quality healthcare provision to meet the needs of the community.”
The programme is joint funded by the Football Foundation and Leeds City Council capital funding.
New grassroots music space aiming to make DJing and music more accessible opening in Headingley this month
Clementine Hall
A new grassroots music space is opening in Headingley with a mission to make DJing, vinyl and music culture more accessible.
Meanhood Studios, founded by long-time LS6 residents Jim and Katie Young, will combine a professional DJ rehearsal studio, record shop, performance space and tuition hub all under one roof.
Their aim is simple, "to level the playing field in a scene that has often felt exclusive and gatekept.”
Meanhood started as a guerrilla pop-up record shop in lockdown when Jim started selling records from his personal collection.
Built solely on quality and word-of-mouth reputation, the venture quickly grew into a respected local record spot known for its carefully curated vinyl selection.
Images: Supplied
Jim’s roots trace back to Manchester’s late-90s free party scene, he began DJing at 17 and from Hyde Park house parties to residencies at legendary clubs, he went on to host nights featuring artists who would later become major names in UK dance music.
Katie grew up in rural Cumbria, discovering music through pirate radio, library tapes and out-of-town raves. After moving to Leeds for university, she built a 20-year corporate career while supporting events, fly-posting for club nights and working behind the scenes.
“DJing is so much more than pushing buttons,” says Jim. “You’ve got to love it when no one’s watching. We want to share that knowledge and remove some of the barriers we experienced.”
Meanhood Studios will open on Friday 13 March and will offer access to equipment, rehearsal space, vinyl records and tuition for aspiring DJs and music lovers.
It's more important now than ever to support grassroots music venues, and we can't wait to check out this new space.
Clementine Hall -
21st June 2024 
