Rhinos players to visit Playhouse Square, SOYO Leeds this Saturday

The Leeds Rhinos Bear, as part of this summer’s Leeds Bear Hunt, will be welcomed into their new home by Leeds Rhinos players on Saturday 1^st July, from 12 – 1.30pm, and are inviting families and Rhinos fans to come and say hello. 

Players currently confirmed to attend are James Donaldson, Nene Macdonald, David Fusitu’a and Jarrod O’Connor. They will welcome the Bear in the city’s newest neighbourhood, SOYO. The Bear will live on the plinth in Playhouse Square, situated between Leeds Playhouse and Leeds City College.

The Leeds Rhinos Bear will be joined by Frankie Bear, who will live nearby, at New York Square, opposite Moda Living and Sainsburys Local supermarket.  Frankie is named after a character in Donna Douglas’ novel, Nurses of Steeple Street. The nurses looked after the residents of the Quarry Hill flats, which used to be based on this site.  Frankie is designed by SOYO Artist in Residence, EV Hardaker and sponsored by the Caddick Group, who are developing the SOYO neighbourhood.

Get ready for a claw-some experience as we honour the magnificent presence of both the Leeds Rhinos Bear and Frankie Bear! Brace yourselves for two utterly fur-tastic competitions brought to you by SOYO Leeds. Unleash your inner creativity and snap some fun shots of Frankie Bear, then tag @SOYOLeeds on Instagram. You could be one of the lucky winners to snag an exciting goody bag, bursting with crafty supplies to spark your little ones' artistic talents. But wait, there's more! Head over to soyoleeds.com and enter the simple form for a chance to win your very own rhino teddy bear. So gear up, get snapping, and unleash your wild side with SOYO Leeds!

The Leeds Bear Hunt, is a spectacular public art event which Leeds Hospitals Charity is bringing to the city July-September this summer. Over 35 individually designed, super-sized Bear sculptures are lumbering their way into Leeds to form a world-class, free art trail across the city’s streets and public spaces.

The event’s unique Bear sculpture has been inspired by the Bear from the award-winning TV animation based on the best-selling children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, published by Walker Books, and has been commissioned and created just for Leeds.

Leeds Bear Hunt bring together the business and creative sectors with local schools and communities to celebrate Leeds’s heritage and showcase its diverse cultural offer and artistic talent.

At the end of the trail, the Bears will be auctioned off to raise significant funds for Leeds Children’s Hospital Charity to create a hospital that is a welcoming and reassuring place, with a hospital team that is equipped to support very poorly children and their families.

Meet Leeds Rhinos, their Bear and Frankie Bear

Date: Saturday 1^st July

Time: 12-1.30pm

Location: Playhouse Square and New York Square, SOYO, Quarry Hill.

soyoleeds.com

@soyoleeds

To find out more visit www.leedsbearhunt.co.uk

Follow us on social media @leedsbearhunt #leedsbearhunt