Shoosmiths supports Love of Leeds project

Shoosmiths is supporting a project to showcase to the world what Leeds has to offer across sport, culture and community.

Love of Leeds is a photographic project, supported and launched in conjunction with Leeds City Council, and photojournalist Jude Palmer, which will capture the diversity of Leeds, the city, its people and all it has to offer in a stunning photographic book at the end of the year.

The project has set out on a creative journey at the beginning of the year to document and get behind the scenes and capture imagery to showcase all that is happening in Leeds, from big sporting events to creative initiatives in communities.

Palmer explained: “I feel privileged to be doing this project because as I shoot some of the amazing events Leeds hosts, and I capture some of the community projects that show great compassion and inclusivity, I realise just how great this city is. It’s on my doorstep, and I’ve known it a long time, or so I thought! I think many more people will feel this when they see the book.”

“I really feel that this project is another creative way to give Leeds a voice, to shout about what it’s doing, as people in Leeds tend to just get their head down and crack on. The city’s DNA is made up of grit, compassion, boldness, creativity and passion. We are really pleased to have Shoosmiths on board.”

Matthew Howarth, head of Shoosmiths Leeds, said: “We are thrilled to be involved in such a groundbreaking photographic project, it will be another way to show how Leeds is pioneering in its approach to showcasing what it does and how it drives, supports and excels at so many world class and inspiring events, bringing more awareness for this ever growing Northern powerhouse, and how it supports its communities in such creative ways.”

The project will cover Tour de Yorkshire, the World Triathlon, Cricket World Cup, Leeds Film Festival, Project’s by Screen Yorkshire, Damien Hirst with Yorkshire International Sculpture, Transform Festival, Opera North, Northern Ballet, Leeds United, Leeds’s universities and many community projects.

The photography will also capture the impact that these projects have on the communities in and around Leeds.

Palmer, along with councillor Judith Blake from Leeds City Council, is behind the project and has been given unprecedented access across all of the events.

In other news at Shoosmiths, the firm’s corporate team has advised August Equity on its sale of supported living specialist Aspirations Group to Elysian Capital II.

Aspirations is a specialist provider of supported living services for adults with learning disabilities and complex needs, with revenue of more than £22 million to March 2019.

Shoosmiths corporate partner James Foster advised on the sale and was assisted by senior associate Simon Procter and associate Natalie Hager.

Foster said: “We are delighted to have advised August Equity on the successful divestment of the Aspirations group. The Shoosmiths team has worked incredibly hard together with August Equity, management and the wider advisory teams to deliver a complex transaction—it has been a fantastic team effort.”