Just champion! Leeds library celebrates city's sporting heroes

The display has been put together by the East Leeds History & Archaeology Society at Cross Gates Library as a celebration of the city’s proud sporting heritage.

It pays tribute to Leeds stars such as boxing champion Nicola Adams, who comes from Ebor Gardens and learned her trade at Burmantofts Gym, and triathlon heroes Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee.

Items on show also include Leeds United match programmes from the club’s all-conquering glory years of the 1970s.

And there is a special place in the display for the uniform that was worn by local resident Sandra Gaunt when she volunteered as a Tour Maker for the Tour de France cycle race’s Grand Départ in Yorkshire in 2014.

East Leeds History & Archaeology Society president Bob Lawrence told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “We have had a number of displays at the library over the years and we thought we would go with a sporting theme this time around.

“Sport is a subject that generates a lot of interest and Leeds has no shortage of teams and individuals to celebrate.

“The feedback we have had so far is that people are really enjoying what we have done.”

The sporting display is available to view in the library’s Heritage Room until October.

The East Leeds History & Archaeology Society’s first talk of the year takes place on Monday, January 29, at Cross Gates Methodist Church Hall on Austhorpe Road.

Family historian Jackie Dupelle will be speaking about the Fulneck Moravian Settlement at the event, which gets under way at 8pm.

Admission costs £2 including refreshments and all are welcome.