Today marked a special day for the family of the late Jane Tomlinson CBE as the Yorkshire Society unveiled a plaque in Leeds City Centre in Jane’s honour.
The plaque is situated in Victoria Gardens, on the Headrow in Leeds. Victoria Gardens became a key landmark for Jane and her fundraising with many of her epic Bike Rides including Rome to Home and Lands’ End to John O’Groats passing through or finishing here.
Mike Tomlinson, Jane’s husband said: “Thank you to the Yorkshire Society for thinking of Jane. It was such an honour for Suzanne and I to represent Jane today to unveil the plaque given where it’s placed. Victoria Gardens is such an important place for the family and brings back a lot of memories for us.
“Watching Jane finish events here, and to see her legacy continue with the Leeds 10K finishing here and the Leeds Half starting in this very spot, is just fantastic.”
Peter Barber, one of the longest-serving members of the Society said: “To be able to honour Jane with a Yorkshire Society plaque has been a true pleasure and a personal goal of mine.
“I have always admired Jane. What she achieved was just phenomenal. She showed true Yorkshire grit and as a Society we are so pleased that the family have allowed us to recognise her in this way.
“We first approached Mike about our plans to erect a plaque for Jane at a Society dinner and it’s great to be here today to finally unveil it to the family.”
Jane is only the second woman to be honoured by the Society in this way with Mary Ward, the women’s education pioneer being the other.