Former Leeds Rhinos star Rob Burrow has thrown his weight behind a fundraising appeal to create a new centre for motor neurone disease in Leeds.
The ex-professional rugby player has inspired many in his own battle with the disease, now he wants to help others suffering from the life-limiting condition.
He's putting his full support behind a fundraising appeal by Leeds Hospital Charity, which is hoping to raise £5m to build the Rob Burrow Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Care Centre.
Mr Burrow said: “Imprisoned in the brutality of MND, my vision is that people diagnosed with MND hear the news in a calming and tranquil sanctuary.
"I envisage a beautiful, welcoming building that is user and family friendly. A place where patients feel comfortable to bring family members into a safe and homely environment for them, with signs of hope and optimism.
“For carers of those with MND it is important to know that their loved ones are in the best possible place.
The Leeds Rhinos Foundation has already pledged £50,000 towards the new centre / Image: Rob Burrow Instagram
"Something every MND sufferer and their families deserve. Although the news won’t be any better, it will be easier to come to terms with in a purposely built care centre that meets the needs of every MND patient.”
The Leeds Rhinos Foundation has already pledged £50,000 towards the new centre.
Rob Burrow is currently treated at MND at Seacroft Hospital, as well as around roughly 80 other patients in Leeds.
However, bosses have since decided that the facilities could do with an upgrade.
Mr Burrow has since set out a vision that the new centre will be a "calming and tranquil sanctuary” for sufferers, providing an elevated quality of care for those living with MND.
Rob Burrow recently released his autobiography Too Many Reasons To Live / Image: Rob Burrow Instagram
If proposals are effective, it will bring together all of the area's MND services under one roof - giving patients access to a range of different holistic support all in one place for the very first time.
This is set to include speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, diet and nutrition advice; with patients able to easily access consultants from Neurology, Palliative Care and Respiratory medicine at the new centre.
“We want to provide a safe haven for our patients and their families – a peaceful environment that reiterates to them that they have the best possible care, helping them ‘live in the now’, a serene place that instils hope and courage," said Dr Agam Jung, Consultant Neurologist who leads the MND team at Seacroft Hospital.
Feature image -National Television Awards.
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Leeds cinemas are offering tickets to see big blockbusters for just £4 this weekend
You can watch some of the year’s biggest blockbusters for just £4 this weekend.
That’s because, to celebrate National Cinema Weekend (5-6 September), Vue has announced that it’ll be offering cut-price tickets to everything from the latest blockbusters and family favourites, to indie horrors and classic re-releases so you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy the full cinematic experience this autumn.
Some of the highlights currently showing that you’ll be able to see for just £4 include summer hits like Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, and Toy Story 5, as well as the recent release of Ridley Scott’s latest film, The Dog Stars, starring Jacob Elordi.
Family favourites such as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie, and Cars will also be screening over National Cinema Weekend.
Meanwhile, horror fans can also catch new releases Insidious: Out of the Further, and indie horror Leviticus, or see the year’s biggest horror hit, Obsession, if you haven’t already.
The best bit about the offer? It applies to every seat on every showing, all weekend long. Just pass us the popcorn now.
This means that film lovers can enjoy Vue’s biggest and comfiest seats, Ultra Lux, which are strategically positioned to give the best possible view of the big screen – with extra-wide armrests, back and leg rests that recline independently, a personal table for snacks and beverages, and a state-of-the-art wine cooler, all for just £4 each.
“We encourage everyone to make the most of the celebration and enjoy a film at Vue.”
National Cinema Weekend returns for 2026 this Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September, and you can book tickets on the Vue website here.
Festival-goers can now get cash back for returning their used tents after Leeds Festival
Clementine Hall
Those heading to Leeds Fest this weekend could get some of their money back thanks to a new tent pledge.
And it's all in an attempt to stop festival waste.
Decathlon is encouraging festival-goers to ditch the ‘one and done’ approach to festival camping by offering refunds when used tents are returned. How class is that?
Under the tent pledge, customers can get 100% of the original purchase price back as a Decathlon gift card, or claim up to 50% back in cash, depending on the condition of their tent.
The offer is available on Decathlon’s QUECHUA tents until Sunday 6 September.
It comes as concerns continue to grow around the amount of waste left behind at UK festivals. According to Decathlon, UK festivals generate around 25,800 tonnes of waste every year, while as many as 250,000 tents are abandoned in fields each summer.
But instead of leaving your tent behind, Decathlon is asking campers to bring it back to one of its stores, along with proof of purchase. It really is as simple as that.
Returned tents in good condition will be assessed, cleaned and potentially resold through the retailer’s Second Life programme, giving them another lease of life rather than sending them to landfill.
Customers have got to be Decathlon Members to take part, although membership is free and the retailer says refunds can be transferred to customers’ bank accounts in as little as an hour.
“Our No Tent Life Behind scheme goes from strength to strength each year,” says Chris Allen, Sustainability Leader at Decathlon UK.
“What started as a small-scale initiative has become an important part of how we approach camping and festivals more broadly - encouraging customers to return used equipment, keep valuable materials in circulation, and give more products a second chapter through our Second Life programme.
"This year, we’re helping customers’ pockets as well as our planet. With our new one-hour bank transfer service, we’re providing the flexibility and value needed to turn unused gear into new adventures."
Georgina Pellant -
7th September 2021 
