Dahlias named in honour of Rob Burrow bloom in garden of MND centre in Leeds

Robert Hendley, 79, is a retired professional dahlia grower who has donated some of the Rob Burrow dahlias to Leeds Hospitals Charity for the garden of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital, part of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

One of Robert’s passions has been to breed and ask people to name new varieties of dahlia which are registered with the Royal Horticultural Society, raising over £8,000 for charities.

Robert first went to help out at his parents’ dahlia nursery in Doncaster when he was just eleven years old. Since then, he has exhibited his dahlias at hundreds of major flower shows over the year and won 200 Gold and Large Gold medals along with numerous trophies.

Robert spoke to us about why he was inspired to grow a new variety of white dahlias with a subtle hint of pink in Rob Burrow’s name:

“I’ve always been a fan of Rob and enjoyed watching him tear apart defences over the years at Leeds Rhinos, but I also have a personal connection to MND.

"When I used to be an adventure training instructor in the forces back in the 1980s, I worked alongside my friend Martin. He was enthusiastic and full of life, but sadly he died after being diagnosed with MND in his late twenties.

“He had a young son just like Rob and it was heartbreaking to watch him lose his ability to do anything for himself. Back then no one had heard of MND or knew much about it, but now, thanks to Rob raising awareness, people know about the condition.”

The dahlias are now in bloom for patients, families, and staff to enjoy as they enjoy the sunshine in the outdoor space over the summer months.

Gary Jevon, Centre Manager said: “We’re very grateful to have our very own Rob Burrow dahlias in the garden of the centre thanks to Robert’s kind donation.

"During the summer months, patients, families and staff have been enjoying the outdoor space in full bloom, and the dahlias are a beautiful addition to our garden.”