News

Kevin Sinfield’s emotional tribute to ‘beacon of hope’ Rob Burrow after his death at 41

'I will miss you my little mate'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 3rd June 2024

Heroic Kevin Sinfield has lead the tributes that are pouring in for rugby league great Rob Burrow, after his death from MND at just 41 years old.

Rob passed away peacefully with his young family by his side on Sunday, following a four-and-a-half-year battle with Motor Neurone Disease.

Since the news broke, tributes to the sporting legend and MND ambassador have poured in, The Hoot reports.

Since his diagnosis, Rob Burrow has done so much to raise awareness and vital funding for the cruel disease, often with the help of his friend Kevin Sinfield – together, the pair have inspired more than £20 million in fundraising.

And theirs was a friendship for the history books.

Kevin has now shared a tribute to his ‘little mate’, writing that ‘the world has lost a great man’.

In his tribute, shared by Leeds Rhinos, he sent his love to Rob’s family (the sporting legend leaves behind wife Lindsey, two daughters and a son) and praised Rob’s bravery.

Kevin’s moving tribute says: “Today was the day that I hoped would never come. The world has lost a great man and a wonderful friend to so so many. You fought so bravely until the end and became a beacon of hope and inspiration, not only for the MND community but for all those who saw and heard your story. 

“My love and thoughts go to your beautiful family, Lindsey, Macy, Maya, and Jackson, to your lovely parents Geoff & Irene, sisters Joanne and Claire and your wider family and friends.

Floral tributes to Rob Burrow are already piling up at Headingley Stadium. Credit: Leeds Rhinos
Floral tributes to Rob Burrow are already piling up at Headingley Stadium. Credit: Leeds Rhinos

“You will continue to inspire me every single day. I have lost a dear friend and I will never forget the special times we shared both on and off the pitch. I would always say that you were pound for pound the toughest player I ever played alongside, however since your diagnosis, you were the toughest and bravest man I have ever met. 

“The last 4 and a half years you showed the world what living and loving looked like and this was always done with the biggest smile on your face.

“I will miss you my little mate. All my love, Kev x.”

Rob Burrow passed away peacefully at Pinderfields Hospital with his family by his side.

Fans are invited to pay their respects to Rob in the South Stand at his beloved Headingley Stadium, with the gates open from Sunday evening for visitors and floral tributes already mounting up.

Leeds Rhinos’ tribute to Rob Burrow CBE

Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow has passed away at the age of 41
Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow has passed away at the age of 41

It is with deep sadness that the club can confirm that former player Rob Burrow CBE has passed away, aged 41.  

Rob inspired the entire country with his brave battle against Motor Neurone Disease (MND) since his diagnosis in December 2019. He passed away peacefully at Pinderfields Hospital near his home surrounded by his loving family after becoming ill earlier this week. 

Burrow played his entire career with Leeds Rhinos and won every honour with the club as part of their golden generation. A hard working and dedicated player, his fearless performances made him one of the most respected players in the Rhinos ranks.

Rob rose through the club’s Academy ranks to make his debut in 2001. In 2004, he was part of the Leeds team that ended a 32-year wait to win the Championship with victory in the Grand Final. It was the first of eight Grand Final wins for Burrow including winning the Man of the Match award in the 2007 and 2011 Old Trafford showpieces. The 2011 game included his breathtaking try that is still regarded as the greatest Grand Final try ever scored. 

In total he made 492 appearances for the club, placing him in fifth in the club’s all-time list of career appearances. He scored 196 tries for a total of 1,103 points. He was capped 15 times by England and played five more tests for Great Britain including a Man of the Series performance in 2007 for the national side. He won the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 2014 and 2015 as well as three World Club Challenges and three League Leaders Shields.

Following his MND diagnosis in December 2019, Burrow and his family took the decision to open their doors to show the impact of the disease and raise awareness and funds for the MND community. Since then Burrow has inspired two award winning documentaries, wrote a best selling autobiography, hosted an award winning podcast and was awarded a CBE from HRH Prince William at AMT Headingley in January 2023. 

Along with his friend and former team mate Kevin Sinfield, Burrow has inspired nearly £20 million in fundraising across the UK and Ireland. This has included raising over £6 million to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds as a lasting legacy for those who follow him in their own personal battles with the disease. 

On behalf of the Burrow family, we would like to thank the staff at Pinderfields Hospital for their compassion and caring for Rob in his final days. Fittingly, as a tribute to the incredible work done by Rob, the groundbreaking of the new Rob Burrow Centre for MND at Seacroft Hospital on Monday will go ahead as planned at Rob’s request. At this time, we would ask that everyone respect the privacy of the Burrow family. 

Well wishers who wish to pay their respects to Rob can do so in the South Stand at Rob’s beloved Headingley Stadium, with the gates open from Sunday evening for visitors to come. 

How to support Rob Burrows’ family or MND

  • If you would like to support Rob’s family directly, you can do so here 
  • If you would like to support the MND Association, whom Rob was Patron of, you can do so on Rob’s Fightback Fund page 
  • If you would like to support the Leeds Hospitals Charity appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND you can do so here 

Featured image: MND Association

News

New free app launches to help people find the best nature spots in and around Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A new free app has launched to help people find, discover, and visit nature on their doorstep.

Wildling is aiming to be a simple one-step solution to the growing mental health crisis and the urgent need to care for the natural world.

By helping people visit nature more easily, and giving them tools to truly connect with it at this same time, Wildling is well on its way to supporting personal wellbeing and the joy of easily discovering nature across the UK, all while nurturing a sense of care and action for the planet.

Supported by partners including the RSPB, Marine Conservation Society ,and Forestry England, and backed by advisors and environmentalists like Ben Goldsmith, Eden Project founder Tim Smit, and Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden, the new app brings the UK’s wild spaces and hidden green spots together in one place.

People on mobile phones
A new free app has launched to help people find the best nature spots in Manchester / Credit: Kitera Dent | Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)

Featuring more than 1,500 locations across the country, from coastlines and woodlands, to nature reserves, the app also includes a wide range of tips to help you make your time in nature easier, more enjoyable, and more meaningful.

The app has been created with the input of research carried out by the University of Derby, based on responses from more than 68,000 adults across England over two years.

The study found that people who spend time in nature every day report up to 22% greater life satisfaction, 17% higher happiness, and an average uplift of around 19% in overall wellbeing, compared to those who rarely go out.

Regular time in nature was also found to have a ‘striking’ effect on pro-environmental behaviour too, according to the survey.

Wildling was created by impact entrepreneur Ant Rawlins who wanted to make accessing nature ‘easier’ for everyone.

“We wanted to give people the tools to engage with nature by making it genuinely easy to visit, by showing them nearby nature places and giving them everything they need to make it happen,” says Ant Rawlins commented.

Wildling connects Mancs to the outside world and all it has to offer / Credit: Sol Stock (Supplied)

Ant said the study shows that spending more time in nature just a nice idea, it makes you happier, increases your satisfaction with life, lifts your overall wellbeing, and encourages you to look after the world around you.

“That’s exactly why Wildling was created,” he concluded.

Read more:

The Wildling app is available now to download for free through the App Store and Google Play, and you can find out more here.

Featured Image – Shironosov (Supplied)

News

Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Chester Zoo’s adorable baby snow leopard who went viral last week could very well be about to go viral again.

That’s because new footage of it venturing outside for the first time have been released.

After arriving to first-time parents Nubra and Yashin, who are both three-years-old, last month (10 June 2025), keepers at Chester Zoo said mum and cub had mostly spent their time quietly tucked away in a cosy den, away from the eyes of the onlooking public – but now, it’s time for the little one to see what the outside world is all about.

Now, at seven-weeks old, the cub has gained in strength and confidence, and experts expected that it could venture outside at ‘any moment’.

Zookeepers are still yet to confirm the sex of the cub, and will be able to do soon once it has undergone its first health check-up with the vets.

We can also expect to hear one the little one’s name is very soon too.

If you’re unfamiliar with snow leopards, they are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and it’s believed there are as few as 4,000 now remaining in the wild.

Nicknamed the ‘ghosts of the mountains’, these elusive – but adorable – big cats are found in the rugged, remote regions of Central Asia and the Himalayas – but sadly, despite being known for living in desolate, harsh environments, they continue to face threats from habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and retaliatory killings by farmers.

Chester Zoo’s viral new snow leopard cub ventures outside for the first time / Credit: Chester Zoo

The cub’s birth follows the opening of Chester Zoo’s Himalayan habitat in May 2024, which is a vast, rocky environment that authentically recreates the mountainous terrain of Central Asia.

“This is the first snow leopard cub to be born at Chester Zoo,” commented Dave Hall, who is the Team Manager of carnivores at Chester Zoo, last week when the adorable hidden den cam footage was first released to the public.

“It’s a truly historic moment and a real cause for celebration – not just for our teams here, but also for the future of this magnificent species globally.”

Read more:

Although it’s still early days, carnivore experts at the zoo say Nubra is showing ‘excellent maternal instincts’ by nursing her new arrival every few hours and always keeping close by.

Featured Image – Chester Zoo

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