Leeds City Council has launched a fundraising appeal in response to the refugee crisis in Leeds.
The council have kickstarted the fundraising with a donation of £50,000, stating that the money raised will be used "to help those facing upheaval and heartbreak following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine".
More than two million people have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion and many others have been displaced inside the country.
Working in partnership with a range of refugee charities and other third sector organisations, the money will provide accommodation support and assistance to Ukrainian refugees.
In Leeds in particular, donations will help refugees "as they build new lives in Leeds after fleeing the fighting in their homeland. It will also be used to further develop local support systems to ensure Leeds remains a welcoming and compassionate city for all migrants in the long term."
The council aims to create an easy way for people across the city to donate and 'do their bit'.
The DEC said that people fleeing Ukraine are in desperate need of food, water, medical assistance and protection / Credit: DEC (via Twitter)
The appeal’s launch has been confirmed following a meeting on Friday between senior councillors, council officers, Migration Yorkshire and a delegation from the Leeds branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.
Those present at the meeting included the leader of the council, Councillor James Lewis, and council chief executive Tom Riordan.
Leeds Town Hall lit up in the Ukrainian colours of blue and yellow. / Image: Leeds City Council
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said:
“The events we have seen unfolding in Ukraine have been truly shocking. Innocent people are suffering and families are being torn apart by senseless actions that we wholeheartedly condemn.
“It was an honour to meet with the delegation from the Leeds branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain and speak to them about the impact that the crisis is having, not just on Ukraine itself but also on the Ukrainian community here in Leeds.
“Leeds has a long and proud history of helping those in need and, as a council, we will be working closely with the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain and Migration Yorkshire to extend our hand of friendship once again.
“We are extremely grateful for the support of Leeds Community Foundation. The appeal's launch gives us all a meaningful way to stay united and stand up for others in the face of appalling tragedy.”
The council supportive of the Government’s Ukraine Family Scheme, which allows applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK. This also applies to the Local Sponsorship Scheme for Ukraine, which allows sponsors, such as communities or local authorities, to take in people with no ties to the UK. Further information on these schemes and how they will work in practice in cities such as Leeds is now being sought, according to Leeds City Council.
For details on the work being done by a whole range of organisations to help those affected by the crisis, visit the Migration Yorkshire website.
The Wombats aren’t just still going strong - they’re getting better. And honestly? Long may they reign.
The Wombats absolutely tore the roof off the First Direct Arena in Leeds last night, Wednesday 26 March and what a night it was.
From the second they hit the stage it wasn’t just a gig, it was a full-blown indie-pop spectacle, packed with infectious energy, nostalgia, and a whole lot of dancing.
They kicked things off with “Moving to New York,” and honestly? The crowd was in from the first note.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Matthew Murphy’s unmistakable vocals rang through the arena and suddenly, thousands of people were screaming every lyric like it was 2007 all over again. It was one of those moments where you could just feel how much this band still means to people.
Despite the massive venue, The Wombats somehow made it feel intimate. The lights? Pure chaos in the best way - vibrant, colourful, and totally in sync with the band’s wild, bouncy sound.
Murphy’s cheeky banter between songs made it feel less like a polished arena show and more like a jam session with a few thousand of your closest mates.
Setlist-wise, they nailed it. “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” and “Greek Tragedy” had the whole place losing it, while the stripped-down version of “Techno Fan” gave everyone a minute to breathe (and maybe get a little emotional).
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Those quieter moments just made the high-energy choruses hit even harder. It was a rollercoaster - in the best way possible.
Then came the encore. If you thought the crowd was loud before, “Kill the Director” took things to another level. Pure, chaotic indie bliss. The kind of moment you don’t want to end.
Here’s the thing about The Wombats: some might say their older songs hit harder than their newer stuff, but is that just nostalgia talking? Or maybe it’s a generational thing?
Either way, they proved they’re still one of the most exciting live bands out there. They’ve still got the hooks, the humour, and the ability to turn a massive arena into a sweaty, euphoric singalong.
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
Danny Jones
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
Sophie Smith -
10th March 2022 
