Today, Rugby legend Rob Burrow’s parents, Geoff and Irene, together with Leeds Teaching Hospital’s MND patients, families and clinical team, and with 77 fundraisers for Leeds Hospitals Charity, came together to sign the frame of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease as it advances considerably in its build at Seacroft Hospital.

This milestone comes in the week following Kevin Sinfield’s latest epic challenge with his 7in7 team, which raised over £1,160,000 for MND charities.

At the event, Leeds Hospitals Charity surprised attendees, including 77 donors, when its Director of Fundraising, Paul Watkins announced that they have reached the £6.8 million fundraising target for the centre thanks to over 17,000 donors who have supported the appeal.

Paul said: “It’s amazing that we’ve been able to raise £6.8 million in just three years. The Burrow family has inspired people across the country and created an incredible community who have supported this appeal, right from the beginning. To have some of those supporters here with us today, leaving their own mark on the frame, is just wonderful.

“We’d like to say thank you to every person, every company, every school group and sports team who have helped to make the building of this centre a reality. Now that we’ve reached the fundraising target for the construction of the building, we’re focused on continuing to support Leeds Teaching Hospitals, raising funds for the latest equipment, a therapeutic garden, family support services, holistic therapies and for the first time in Leeds, new research programmes.”

The new building will be a flagship centre in the North of England, covering more than 1,000m² with a striking design that includes a light and spacious atrium, wheelchair-accessible parking, and newly landscaped gardens. The building will enable all care and support for patients and their families to take place in one dedicated space, with a view to including research at some point in the future.

MND patients have complex, changing needs. The centre has been designed to meet these needs and to be adaptable for the needs of patients in the future.

Craige Richardson, Director for Estates & Facilities, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says, “I’m really proud to be a part of this important milestone moment in the new centre build, and to have all these people here on site, who have played such a role in shaping the design and supporting the fundraising, it’s really great. I’m delighted we can be here.

“We selected an offsite construction for the centre, which means that the building is quickly taking shape and progress is going well. The site team will soon be focusing on the interior clinical spaces and it won’t be long until the opening next summer.”