The Leeds Rhinos Foundation finished off their celebration of 150 years of Rugby League in the city of Leeds with a special service to commemorate the landmark at Leeds Minster on Saturday 25th November, in front of a congregation of Rugby League representatives from across the city.
The service that marked the end of a year of celebrations within the city, was the final event of a year-long recognition of the milestone, that has seen the foundation commemorate the 150 year anniversary of the first game of rugby being played in the city.
The year-long commemorations, which have been sponsored by local engineering company A.Taylor & Son – who are also celebrating their 150th anniversary, have received support from all facets of the rugby community who, along with the full Leeds Rhinos squad, came together to enjoy the final event of this special year.
To open the service, Chairman of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation, Neil Kaiper-Holmes welcomed the congregation and introduced his fellow speakers, including children from the Foundation’s ‘Try-Zone’ project based at the Learning Centre at Headingley Carnegie Stadium who recited poems as part of the service.
Other speakers included Rhinos Head Coach Brian McDermott, who spoke on the virtues of a Rugby League player and Jamie-Jones Buchanan with a speech on ‘Rugby, Faith and Me,’ along with fellow Foundation trustee Lucinda Yeadon, Headmaster at GSAL Mike Gibbons and the Rev Canon Charles Dobbin.
The event also recognised the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the First World War which was highlighted with a speech from Foundation’s Life President David Oxley CBE. Leeds RL Challenge Cup winner Billy Jarman, was remembered along with the rugby players who had lost their lives serving their country during the conflicts.
The youngest contributor on the day was six year-old Evangeline Davidson who read Ode of Remembrance, taken from Laurence Binyon’s poem, "For the Fallen" to cap off a memorable occasion and choirs made up of pupils from Roundhay School, Morley Academy and Priesthorpe provided music for occasion with a selection of hymns performed during the service.
The events running throughout the year have been organised by the Leeds Rhinos Foundation Heritage Committee and their Chairman, Phil Caplan, who along with writing and performing a poem for the service, said afterwards:
"I think it was important to put a full stop on the year with an event like this. We started the year’s celebrations with a champagne breakfast on the exact date of formation in March, and we needed something to just say this commemorates everything that we have been trying to put together which is all encompassing, so it's not just about Rugby League or Rugby Union, every strata of the city is touched by Rugby and it is a very important part of the city."
Jamie Jones-Buchanan added:
“I think our history is very important, to look back at our history helps us with our future as well. These people who started this legacy of Rugby in Leeds, some 150 years ago, they've created an environment now for so many young kids in and around Leeds to enjoy Rugby League and have this vehicle of sport that builds the right kind of character."
Phil Caplan also commented on his particular highlights of the events organised by the Heritage committee in 2014:
"I think the three that stand out for me were the Champagne breakfast on Woodhouse Moor in March, where there was a heavy presence from Leeds city Council, which is important because again the city of Leeds has grown at the same time as Rugby League in the city, and that is a genuine link.
“The other one was the mid-year event where we commemorated the all Leeds Championship final, where Leeds played Hunslet, having the event down at South Leeds Stadium. That was important to make sure we linked everybody in the city, that's still the biggest sporting event Leeds has ever seen and we needed to commemorate that. The Leeds Civic Trust got involved with that as well, so we could talk about the civic side of the city and then this service where all branches and sectors came together, we hope that there was something for everyone in it, so it was a lovely top and tail"
The Foundation’s calendar of events came to an end on Saturday, but with the 120th birthday of the forming of the Rugby League falling in 2015, it promises to be another big year for the Leeds Rugby Foundation’s Heritage Committee.