Three football fans are set to walk 75 miles in three days to raise money for new centre aiming to tackle biggest health challenges faced by children and young people.
James Michalowski, Carl Hessell and Ashley Beighton will be walking approximately 140,00 steps across three days, in long 12-hour stretches from Hillsborough Stadium to the MKM Stadium in Hull in order to raise money for Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.
Sarah Boddington, corporate fundraising officer at Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “Their walk captures exactly what this appeal is about: ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help change children’s lives.”
The 140,000 step route was purposefully designed with the 142,000 bricks that will be put into the new National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) which they are raising funds for.
The centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies to cover areas such as; movement and rehabilitation, clinical care, design and manufacturing, and a testbed.
The testbed is a UK first in paediatric healthcare, filling a crucial gap by enabling researchers and industry partners to collaborate and evaluate child health technologies in a range of real-world spaces.
Each member will carry a brick along the route to symbolise the building which will be returned to the centre and used for its construction by the end of the challenge.
Mr Michalowski, said: “It’s so much more than a hospital, the work that is put in by the hospital for future research. They are basically revolutionising the world in terms of research and development into child’s health, and that’s particularly what’s going to be going into this new building.”
While the friends, who were brought together by a common love for Sheffield Wednesday, prepare for the physical element of the challenge, they are most excited for the chance to connect and spend time together.
Mr Hessell, said: “I think probably just going out together for a few days and getting away from it all. And, yeah, it’s just nice to switch off for a few days. And have some good catch-ups.”
The walk will take place from 18 March to 20 March, the group will be joined on the last day by friend Gary Zielosko, before the attending the Sheffield Wednesday v Hull City match on the 21 March.
The group aims to raise £3,000 for the charity that seemed an obvious pick to support for the friends who grew up in Sheffield.
Mr Michalowski, said: “I am actually at a loss for words in terms if what they are going to be doing there. It is really going to revolutionise children’s health for the whole world.”
The link to the fundraiser can be found here.
