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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EasyJet is paying for passports for newborn babies to help families take their first holidays
EasyJet has announced a new scheme where the airline will cover the cost of a baby’s first passport, allowing young families to take those memorable first holidays.
The company has announced that it will pay for a child’s passport (£66.50) when parents book an EasyJet holiday, making it a little easier to start those travel adventures sooner.
Research conducted by the airline and easyJet Holidays has found that 75% of parents agree the move would make a holiday with a baby feel a bit more affordable.
Their surveys also found that four in five parents believe a baby’s first holiday is a landmark family moment, and more than half called it one of their proudest parenting milestones.
But parents also said that they needed an average of four attempts to get an approved passport photo of their baby (have you tried making a newborn follow instructions…?).
easyJet holidays has reported – even this early in the year – a 10% increase in infants travelling this year compared to 2025.
And now, the thought of a holiday with your newborn is more tempting than ever, with the offer to get a free passport for your baby from easyJet.
To claim it, and save £66.50, you can use the code FIRSTPASSPORT until 26 November – find out more HERE.
easyJet Captain Kate West, said: “We carry millions of families across Europe every year, and we know that travelling with a baby brings a whole series of exciting firsts.
“We want to make travel as easy and accessible as possible for everyone, including young families, so they can enjoy all the experiences and memories that travel can bring.
“We hope that covering the cost of a baby’s first passport goes a small way towards making that first family adventure a little easier and gives our youngest travellers a warm welcome to the world.”
Stuart Wright, Customer Director at easyJet holidays, said: “Travel has a unique way of bringing families together, and a baby’s very first holiday is often one of those moments parents remember for years to come.
“By covering the cost of a baby’s first passport, we’re helping more families start making those memories that little bit sooner.”
Leeds City Council granted £1.6m to tackle rough sleeping by Christmas
Clementine Hall
A £1.6m grant has been given by the government to Leeds City Council to help tackle rough sleeping.
The funding has been allocated to Leeds City Council as part of the Government’s national Rough Sleeping Programme.
The overall target is to help rough sleepovers off the streets by Christmas through providing safe accommodation.
The council have said that voluntary organisations and charities will be able to help them reach this target.
The council report said: "This funding will be used for immediate interventions to ensure all those rough sleeping have an offer of accommodation by Christmas and support longer term sustainment of accommodation.
“The initial target is to provide a suitable offer of accommodation for everyone who is rough sleeping by Christmas 2026.
“Providing a path into supported accommodation and independent living is the key objective and sustaining this independent living with, where necessary, ongoing support to prevent any return to rough sleeping and homelessness.”
The government announcement spoke of the scheme: "The programme is intended to support people experiencing rough sleeping.
"People experiencing rough sleeping may have differing entitlements to housing and support depending on their individual circumstances, including their immigration status and eligibility for public funds."
The funding is intended to help provide immediate support for people currently sleeping on the streets, while also helping them access longer-term accommodation and the support needed to maintain independent living.
By working with local charities and voluntary organisations, the council hopes to ensure people are not only offered a place to stay but are also given the help they need to avoid returning to the streets.
Georgina Pellant -
7th September 2021 
