Words: Lowri Rennick
Last month, on a chilly autumnal morning at 6.30am, 40 employees from Longbow Venues set off on a sponsored marathon walk for Sheffield Children’s Hospital, in honour of the hospital’s 150th anniversary year.
The 42km Peak District walk took more than 12 hours and ultimately raised £12,697 for Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity – a significant step up from the group’s first charity walk in 2025, when 29 members of the team walked 29km and raised almost £6,500 for the charity.
Longbow’s head of commercial, Andy Shiel-Redfern, played a central part in organising the event.
He said: “We set ourselves a much bigger challenge this yearand people really embraced it.
“From setting off with that beautiful sunrise to reaching each venue along the way and eventually seeing the finish, there were lots of moments that made all the planning worthwhile.”
The team was led by Lizzie from What’s Not to Hike, who took them through some of the most scenic areas of the Peak District via the company’s six pubs, finishing at The Ashford Arms in Ashford-in-the-Water.
Each walker was presented with a commemorative slate coaster bearing the date of the challenge, while every member of the Longbow Venues team was paid as if it were a standard working day.
Rob Hattersley, managing director of Longbow Venues, said: “Forty-two kilometres across the Peak District sounded like a good idea when we were planning it – I’m not sure everyone would have agreed with me by the final few kilometres!
“What made me incredibly proud was the way everyone got each other through it – there were people physically pushing colleagues up hills, waiting for each other, clapping as people reached each milestone and constantly checking that everyone was OK. It became a real team effort.”
Sheffield Children’s is one of only three dedicated children’s hospitals in the UK, providing specialist care to children and young people from Sheffield and across the country.
The fundraising page remains open for anyone who wishes to donate to the cause.
