On Friday 27 May 2022, four friends from Yorkshire are cycling the distance from Harrogate to Monaco to raise money in memory of their loved ones.
Whilst drivers are preparing for what is widely considered the most prestigious race in the Formula 1 season, the Monaco Grand Prix; Ollie Ward, Joe Braham, Henry Bartle and Jeremy Butterfield are gearing up for their own event this weekend.
They are attempting to cycle 1573km in 24 hours from Harrogate to Monaco, raising money for two charities in memory of two loved ones who were both massive fans of F1.
The cyclists have even received a good luck message from England football manager, Gareth Southgate.
In April of 2020, their beloved friend James Hindmarsh was devastatingly diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS). The following year saw months of gruelling radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment, James fought hard but sadly lost his battle in 2021.
The fundraising started here with his friends raising money to pay for his private treatment which they instead decided to donate to Sarcoma UK, a bone and soft tissue cancer charity. Just weeks later in May last year, Henry, Ollie and Jeremy ran three marathons in three days whilst Joe, who lives in Switzerland, embarked on his own challenge to raise money, a ski tour from Verbier to Mount Fort.
This year, half of the money raised will be donated to Leeds Hospitals Charity, who will allocate it to Leeds Cancer Centre; a centre very close to James’ heart. Jeremy says "The money raised will go towards support and help for others fighting the same fight our best mate did so bravely."
The other half of the money will be donated to The David Brown Foundation in memory of Ollie's Uncle. A thoughtful, caring and kind man who devastatingly lost his battle to Covid-19 in December 2021. David gave his life to others by supporting children's education in the UK and helping students across the district to reach their full potential, and the boys will be following in his footsteps.
As well as Formula 1 both James and David were huge football fans and ahead of the challenge the team received a good luck message from England football manager Gareth Southgate, praising their bravery, courage and urging others to donate all they can.
The boys say "Both James and Dave never gave up in their fights and we will continue their legacies to help others fight the challenges they are facing. Every cycle of the bike erg they will both be with us, probably with a wry smile and a Peroni in hand. They are forever in our hearts."
Britain's 20 biggest cities have been ranked, and Leeds has done pretty well.
Although, you wouldn't be able to tell judging by the overwhelmingly lacklustre description we've been given.
The listing comes from The Telegraph and ranks Britain's 20 biggest cities from worst to best, taking into account visitor appeal and where offers most to tourists.
Leeds comes in at a very respectable number 10, however judging from what they've said about our city you'd think we were much, much lower.
Kicking things off, the description reads: "There’s an untidy quality to Leeds, borne of a patchwork of periods in its built environment and the fact that a lot of regeneration is underway (cranes rise at every corner)."
Image: Unsplash
Yep, not off to a good start but it's only down hill from there as Leeds is then said to have a 'certain shapelessness'.
But perhaps the worst part is yet to come: "There are some ugly, run-down streets very close to the centre, and while the Headrow and other high streets have a fair number of shops, there’s no real boulevard or grand square.
"The most atmospheric spaces are Queens Arcade and perpendicular Cross Arcade, and Thornton’s Arcade; Grand Arcade is also Victorian but looks and feels less uplifting."
By the end it starts to get slightly more positive, emphases on 'slightly': "Leeds’ strongest points might be its small size and its north-central location; it’s easy to walk everywhere inside the city, and a short ride away are Ilkley, Skipton and the Dales."
Our visitor appeal gained a 6.5/10, beating Cardiff, Sheffield, Brighton and Nottingham.
Taking the top spot was Liverpool followed by Edinburgh, Belfast and Glasgow. Read the full ranking here.
An award-winning Sardinian restaurant made famous in Sheffield is now opening in Leeds
Clementine Hall
This family-run restaurant has chosen Leeds as their second location, and we're very glad they have.
Introducing Domo, a Sardinian independent born in Sheffield that is loved by many for its delicious food, inviting atmosphere and stellar service.
Run by Raffaele Busceddu and Sarah May Elliott, Domo serves a range of traditional Sardinian specialities from homemade pasta dishes to show-stopping grills.
They've also got a banging cocktail menu full of signature serves and refreshing spritz, perfect for enjoying with friends over some delicious sharing plates.
Images: The Sheff
They've been teasing a second site for some time now but finally the cat is firmly out of the bag as they've announced they'll be bringing Domo to Leeds.
But where might you ask? Well, none other than the scenic location of the Lockside overlooking the canal.
Slotting right in next to BAKE, they're going to be in very good company indeed.
Image: The Sheff
Announcing the exciting news to Instagram, Domo said: "So most of you guessed it right...it’s been a long time coming but Domo 2.0 is finally cooking.
"Here’s a little sneak peek at our week which we’ve mostly spent admiring the views and getting to know the new neighbours …. If you can guess where it is there’s a glass of bubbly on us next time we see you. To be continued ………"
That's all the information we have so far, but we'll keep you in the loop as and when we find out more.
We can't wait to have you here in Leeds Domo, but for now we'll pop round to Sheffield to get our Domo fix and we highly suggest you do too.
Clementine Hall -
25th May 2022 
