Seventy-five miles, four friends, four bricks, and one big charity fundraiser

James Michalowski, Carl Hessell and Ashley Beighton will complete the full three-day challenge, walking an estimated 140,000 steps each, with friend Gary Zielosko joining them on the final day.

The route was carefully chosen not just for its scenery, but because the number of steps closely mirrors the 142,000 bricks that will be used to build the new National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) in Attercliffe.

Each walker will carry a brick throughout the challenge to symbolise the building, donated by HBC Construction from the NCCHT site itself, and once the walk is complete, those bricks will be returned to the centre and used in its construction, meaning their fundraising effort will quite literally become part of the building.

HBC Construction and Sheffield Children’s are working together to develop the purpose-built, world-leading, research and technology centre which will connect global clinical expertise with cutting-edge innovation to revolutionise children’s healthcare.

James, who came up with the idea after completing a walk for the charity from Sheffield to Derby last year, said: “When we found out the number of steps we’d be walking was so close to the number of bricks going into the building, it just felt right. If we can help put even one brick into the National Centre for Child Health Technology, then this fundraiser will be worthwhile.”

The walk begins at Hillsborough Stadium and follows canals and rivers through Sheffield, Doncaster and Goole, before finishing in Hull. The group, who have been friends since the 1990s and are all Sheffield Wednesday season ticket holders, will complete the challenge together from 18-20 March, before attending the Wednesday vs Hull City match on 21 March.

While the physical challenge is significant, covering around 25 miles a day over long, 12-hour stretches, the group say one of the most meaningful parts of the walk is the time spent together.

James said: “As you get older, life gets busy and you get less time to really connect. When we’re normally together, it’s at the football, with five minutes to talk about life before complaining about formations. The training walks, and the actual walk itself, are giving us proper time, long conversations, catching up and talking about everything. That time together honestly means the world.”

Carl agreed, adding: “We’ve grown up together, been part of each other’s lives for decades, and this felt like a really special thing to do. It’s very different from 20 years ago, but that friendship is still there, and doing something meaningful together makes it even more special.”

Supporting Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity was a natural choice for the group, all of whom grew up in the city.

Carl said: “You grow up knowing about all the incredible work Sheffield Children’s does. Learning more about the National Centre for Child Health Technology has shown us that this isn’t just about Sheffield - it’s about helping children across the UK and internationally.”

The group is aiming to raise £3,000 towards the charity’s capital appeal and hope their challenge will inspire others to support it too.

James added: “This isn’t just investing in a building; it’s investing in the future of children. Every donation, every share, every bit of support really does make a difference.”

Sarah Boddington, corporate fundraising officer at Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “What James, Carl, Ashley and Gary are doing is incredibly special. Carrying a brick for every step of this journey is such a powerful way to show what the National Centre for Child Health Technology represents - determination, innovation and hope for the future.

“Their walk captures exactly what this appeal is about: ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help change children’s lives.”

Anyone wishing to support the team can donate via their JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/team/hillsboroughtohull