Leeds City Forum

26/08/2026

🐻Next Thursday, the bears are back in LS6!!

We are super excited to be a part of the Great LS6 Bear Hunt again this year, alongside some of our favourite organisations!

Grab a lunchbox from in the morning, before making your way over to the Cardigan Road Bear Pit for a teddy bear's picnic and craft sessions with , and 3 Story and Rhyme sessions hosted by ! From there, you can celebrate the 100 year birthday of Winnie The Pooh with at 11:00 and 13:00 with bear badge-making, as well as a bear-themed craft session at at 11:00-12:30!

Find out more information from the link in our bio for links to the other organisations and find out what else is going on!

Illustration:

15/08/2026

Who was Maud Hummerston?

She was our first female librarian! She worked at Armley Library in 1912 as ‘Chief Storyteller’ where she read books to children, beginning our now beloved story and rhyme sessions.

She has now been rightly celebrated as part of the ground floor refurbishment at Leeds Central Library, with a beautiful new events space named after her: The Hummerston Suite. It can be booked for use by organisations and community groups.

To mark the occasion, and celebrate Leeds 400, our children's team have created a special one-off edition of her publication "Chimney Corner" which you'll find on our Secret Library blog - link in comments 👇

01/08/2026

29/07/2026

Congratulations to Carin van Doorn OBE! 🎖️🎉

We are delighted to congratulate Carin van Doorn on receiving her OBE from His Majesty The King at Windsor Castle earlier this month.

The award recognises Carin's outstanding services to Children's Heart Surgery and Charity during a remarkable career dedicated to improving and saving the lives of children born with heart conditions.

💬 Speaking about the occasion, Carin said: "The investiture took place at Windsor Castle on 7th July. The OBE was given to me by King Charles himself, and it was a very special occasion. I feel very humbled to be given the OBE."

After more than 30 years in congenital cardiac surgery and over a decade leading the team at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit, Carin retired at the end of 2025 - leaving behind an incredible legacy.

Last year, through our Because of Carin campaign, we celebrated the profound difference Carin has made to countless children and families. Her skill, compassion and leadership have helped shape the care available to heart patients across the region and beyond, and her influence will be felt for generations to come.

Everyone at Children's Heart Surgery Fund sends our warmest congratulations to Carin on this well-deserved honour. Thank you, Carin, for everything you have done for children with heart conditions and their families!

🩷💚💜💙



Leeds Children's Hospital Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

15/06/2026

New Leeds Heritage Framework Celebrates City’s Independent Spirit. A new blueprint setting out how heritage can help shape the future of Leeds has been launched. Independent Spirit: A Heritage Framework for Leeds brings together organisations from across the city’s heritage sector to establish a shared vision for the years ahead. The framework outlines how the city’s heritage can bring people together, strengthen communities and play a more active role in the future development of Leeds. It was created through extensive collaboration with cultural and heritage organisations, while hundreds of residents from communities across the city also contributed their views. The document highlights the distinctive ‘ ’ at the heart of Leeds’ heritage and explores how the city’s history and identity can contribute to civic life, placemaking, wellbeing and economic growth. Partners involved in the project include the , the , and the , alongside the , and the https://leedsstar.co.uk/our-city/new-leeds-heritage-framework-celebrates-citys-independent-spirit/

25/04/2026

Ronnie the Rhino and Jen Graham to Join Russell Bear at Opening of Forget Me Not’s First Leeds Charity Shop. Leeds Rhinos mascot Ronnie the Rhino will join charity shop social media star Jen Graham and Forget Me Not Children's Hospice’s own Russell Bear for the opening of the charity’s first shop in Leeds. The new store will open in on Saturday, April 25, 2026, in the former Halifax bank building on Market Place. Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice supports babies and children with life-shortening conditions, as well as their families, across . Over the past year, the charity has supported 134 children, parents, siblings and grandparents from Leeds, providing care both at in and in families’ own homes. Among the special guests will be Jen Graham, better known online as ‘Charity Shop Girl’, who will be sharing the rummaging and styling tips that have helped her build a following of more than 200,000 across and . The new Pudsey shop marks an important milestone for as it expands its retail presence into Leeds, helping to raise vital funds for children and families who rely on the hospice’s care and support. Supporters, shoppers and families are being encouraged to visit the open day, meet , and , and browse the shop’s opening selection of donated goods https://leedsstar.co.uk/charity/ronnie-the-rhino-and-jen-graham-to-join-russell-bear-at-opening-of-forget-me-nots-first-leeds-charity-shop/