We’re excited to share that our fundraising appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease has reached the halfway mark!

Since we announced the location for the centre last November as Seacroft Hospital, we have been working closely with staff, patients and their carers and wider services in the city to develop plans for the new centre. An architect and design team is expected to be appointed by summer 2023, in order to take the project onto the design and build stage.

Due to the economic climate and enhancements to the specifications of the centre, the fundraising total is now £6.8 million to build what will be a state-of-the-art Motor Neurone Disease centre.

Paul Watkins, Director of Fundraising at Leeds Hospitals Charity says:

““We’ve seen incredible support and some brilliant and creative fundraising efforts for the new Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease. More than 7,000 donors have kept our fundraising totals rising, boosted by Kevin Sinfield and his team’s epic running challenges. In just 18 months the campaign has reached the half-time whistle and raised £3.4 million!

“Our consultation with staff, patients and wider stakeholders of the MND service has enabled us to have a deeper understanding of what will make a real difference to people, such as quiet and reflective spaces and ensuring a fully accessible site, so we have agreed to increase our fundraising target to achieve something really special in Rob’s name.

This is why we’re asking the public to support the appeal by running the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon or fundraising with their local communities to help keep us moving forward to the £6.8m target.”

Ambitious plans for this bespoke centre include a host of individual treatment rooms, accessible toilets and changing facilities, an education space for staff and hopefully a space where the latest equipment and technologies can be made available for patients to explore.

As a charity, we are committed to building a centre that will stand the test of time, able to adapt as technology and treatments develop and to support the increasing number of people presenting with symptoms.

We hope to hold an event later in the year where we can showcase all of the exciting plans for the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease and share how this will make a huge difference to people living with MND and those closest to them.

Find out more about the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Appeal