South Yorkshire builders' merchants' team to trek between Sheffield and London

Walking from Sheffield to London once would be plenty for most people, but a team at Pagets builders merchants is going to do it all again, the other way round.
..
.

Alan Cassim, Dean Griffin, Callum Price and Paul Wainwright are planning to repeat a 193 mile trek they did last year, walking from London to Sheffield this time. The group, which will leave London on 2 April and arrive back on 8 April, is aiming to raise £6,000 for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, where Dean’s daughter Chloe receives care.

Alan, Dean and Callum completed the Sheffield to London walk in 2016, raising an impressive £4,000 for South Yorkshire’s only children’s hospice, which supports families through the toughest of times, providing end of life care and treatment, music therapy, counselling, sibling support groups and home visits.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This year the three have persuaded Paul to join them, but they also have the added bonus of colleague John Maltby driving them to London and following them back to Sheffield by car with their rucksacks on board.

The five are planning to end the epic journey at Sheffield Wednesday’s football ground, just in time for the 3pm kick off of the Owls game against Newcastle on 8 April. Alan’s daughter and friends will be doing a collection for Bluebell Wood outside the ground on the day.

Alan said: “The idea of doing it again came from one of the lads who had to miss part of the walk last year after hurting his ankle. We’re also keen to do whatever we can for Bluebell Wood, which does so much for families facing the toughest of times.

“We’ve learnt a few lessons from last year, when we ended up walking for hours through the countryside one day with no food and no shops en-route. If needs be, John will be there to come to the rescue with supplies and possibly the odd plaster for our blisters.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dean said: “We’ve got a better training plan this time around, which means we’re going to do a few 20 mile practice walks rather than just ten mile ones.

“This is something we’re happy to do again as Bluebell Wood is close to our hearts. I have friends with children who visit and my daughter Chloe loves going there. Chloe often tells her mum and me to stay at home so she can play on her own, but she also enjoys it when Jo, one of the Bluebell Wood nurses, comes to our home to play with her.”

Julie Hampson, Corporate Fundraiser at Bluebell Wood, said: “It means so much to us that Dean and his colleagues are walking the 193 miles for a second time, to raise even more money for Bluebell Wood.

“Last year the team raised enough money to pay for 192 hours of specialised nursing to care for children like Chloe. Their continued support means we will be able to be there for more children and families when they need us most.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There’s still time to support the team’s fantastic fundraising, so please visit https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/pagets-walk to make a donation. You will also be able to keep track of their progress from April 2-8th on Bluebell Wood’s Twitter page at @BluebellWoodCH.

To find out how you can help Bluebell Wood make more memories for the 250 children they care for, both in the community and at their hospice, please visit www.bluebellwood.org. You can also contact the Fundraising team to discover how you can organise your own sponsored event on 01909 517 365.