For the final event of Westward Care’s 2026 summer of sport, on Saturday 19 September, Methley care home The Cedars saw a few local sporting greats oversee some rugby and cricket youth team training on the grounds.

In the morning, the youth players of Methley rugby club Methley Warriors arrived along with staff and players from the Leeds Rhinos Foundation. These included Leeds Rhinos CEO Jamie Jones-Buchanan and current Rhinos players Riley Lumb and Alfie Edgell, who visited during the children’s rugby training session and mingled with an audience of Cedars residents and their friends and family.

In the afternoon, the Methley Cricket Club Under 9s Girls team arrived for a training session with former cricketer and Leeds Rhinos player Courtney Winfield-Hill. Westward Care is proud to sponsor the Under 9s Girls team, who made their debut just last year.

As if that wasn’t enough for one day, Leeds Rhinos mascot Ronnie the Rhino also paid The Cedars a visit for sports day (and proved a particularly popular guest with residents). Also in attendance were Westward Care Managing Director Peter Hodkinson and Leeds Rhinos legend Bob Haigh, who came along to watch a new generation of local players in action.

Speaking about the sports day and the collaboration between Westward Care and Leeds Rhinos, Jamie Jones-Buchanan called it “a great opportunity to meet with the Westward Care home residents... It’s a big part of the Leeds Rhinos and Westward Care partnership, as that grows...it’s about relationships and it’s about people, from the youth to those who are adding not just years to life but life to years as well.”