Thousands of pounds raised by three families in first annual Charity Mud Run

Three families are taking on a locally organised Mud Run at Gulliver’s Valley, Rotherham, in aid of The Children’s Hospital Charity as thanks for the care received at Sheffield Children's Hospital.

A team taking on the Firehouse Fitness Mud Run as thanks for the care of one-year-old Winnie Bowers has raised over £5,000.

Winnie Bowers is currently undergoing chemotherapy at Sheffield Children's Hospital to treat acute myeloid leukaemia of Down’s syndrome. Winnie was diagnosed just six months ago, requiring around-the-clock care following her cancer diagnosis.

Winnie’s Wigglers is a group of family and friends of Winnie, who have all come together to give back to Sheffield Children’s in appreciation of her care, as well as the care of other patients they have met along the way.

Winnie’s dad, Reuben, said: “Sheffield Children's Hospital has been amazing, and so professional and efficient in their care of Winnie. People from all over Europe come to the hospital because of their specialist skills.

“To have our supportive friends and family so close by was such a massive benefit at a traumatic time. We’re incredibly proud of Winnie’s Wigglers and the funds we have raised for The Children’s Hospital Charity.”

Winnie’s mum, Kerry, added: “To have Sheffield Children's Hospital on our doorstep as Winnie goes through her treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia has been such a massive blessing, a blessing that I hope that you never get to witness but if you do and you live close by, you'll be so happy that they are here and that they are so supportive.

“Meeting other families on the ward, most in a far worse situation than us, and seeing what they are going through, every penny you raise will be a penny well spent I'm sure of that. Thank you to everyone and we send you all our love and gratitude for your support.”

To donate to Winnie’s Wigglers fundraising, visit tchc.org.uk/WinniesWigglers.

The family-friendly Mud Run, organised by Sheffield-based gym, Firehouse Fitness, will see hundreds of participants take on a 5K or 10K route across the countryside, all to raise vital funds for Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. Participants can choose to run walk or jog the muddy course.

Another family taking part has raised £2,000 so far as thanks for the care of six-year-old Teddy Kelly, from Rotherham. Like Winnie, Teddy is being cared for on Sheffield Children’s Hospital’s Haematology and Oncology Ward, as he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in October of 2023. Now, Teddy is having chemotherapy to treat his cancer.

‘Team Ted’ is a team of nine runners, including mum, Katie Kelly. Having worked at Sheffield Children’s for ten years previously, Katie said: “I was so nervous coming back to Sheffield Children’s Hospital as a parent! I found it so hard seeing people that I once worked with and found it extremely hard explaining what we were going through as a family.

“All my old friends and colleagues were incredibly professional, caring and so supportive, showing patience and kindness as we came to terms with everything.

“We as a family are so grateful for the hard work Sheffield Children’s has done for our boy Teddy so far and I will be forever grateful! The staff are amazing with Teddy, and I can’t thank them enough. I hope our fundraising money goes a long way!”

tchc.org.uk/TeamTed.

A young supporter taking part is 13-year-old Ollie. Ollie will be joined by members of his football team, Worksop Town JFC Under 14’s Tigers, and their dads. Ollie has received care at Sheffield Children’s since he was two days old.

Following emergency bowel surgery Ollie was diagnosed with the condition Hirschsprung’s disease. The disease occurs when nerves don’t grow in certain parts of the bowel, and at three years old Ollie had a colostomy.

Ollie’s Mum, Laura, said: “You can see the difference that fundraising has made at the hospital. We have been coming for years and the transformation is incredible. We always say if you have to be in hospital Sheffield Children’s is a nice place to be. The staff are brilliant, they care beyond caring. If it weren’t for Sheffield Children’s, he literally wouldn’t be here. We owe everything to them, so we try to give something back whenever we can.”

“Ollie has told his dad they’re definitely running the 10K in the Mud Run. He’s so excited to do this with his friends and I just think it’s a brilliant way for them all to do something together while raising money.”

To support the fundraising of Ollie and his team, visit tchc.org.uk/OllieTheo.

The event has been spearheaded by Firehouse Fitness CEO and Charity ambassador Shane Beard, who has supported The Children’s Hospital Charity since 2021.

Shane said: “It’s brilliant to have families at the heart of the Sheffield Children’s participate in our first Mud Run. We’ve been working with the Charity team for a number of years now, and we always dreamed of putting on an event like this; it’s an even bigger bonus that we’ve got the incredible people who will be impacted by the Charity’s work taking part.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved and all our participants for joining us in this muddy adventure, as well as Gulliver’s Valley for providing the course!”

Rob Gurruchaga, Development Officer at The Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “The Mud Run will be accessible, full of challenges, and of course, plenty of fun! We are so grateful to Shane and the team at Firehouse Fitness for organising this event, we’ve had a brilliant time collaborating with them for such an amazing cause. It truly does make a difference to the lives of patients, families, and staff at Sheffield Children’s.”

The exciting new event is open to all, including individuals, family groups, and teams alike. Registration is open to the ages of 13 and upwards, with under 13s to be accompanied by a full-paying adult and over 1.2 meters tall.

Andy Flowers, Resort Manager at Gulliver’s Valley, said: “We are so excited to be part of the first-ever FHF Mud Run. It’s going to be a fun-packed day for all the runners as they raise as much money as possible for The Children’s Hospital Charity.

“Here at Gulliver’s, we’re always looking at ways we can support our local community and we felt the team behind this activity was creating some magical memories and experiences whilst fundraising for an amazing local cause. It fits perfectly with the Gulliver’s ethos, and we are thrilled it's taking place at our resort. Good luck to everyone involved on the day!”

Patients travel from across the country and the world for care at Sheffield Children’s, with The Children’s Hospital Charity supporting the care with life-saving equipment, funding vital research and treatment for thousands of children from across the world and helping to create a comfortable, engaging environment for patients at Sheffield Children's Hospital.

To take part in the FHF Mud Run, visit tchc.org.uk/fhf-mud-run.