Team Saunders against MND

You don't need to be a sports fan to have heard the name Rob Burrow, despite being an elite athlete who spent his entire professional career with Rugby League giants Leeds Rhinos. Rob was more recently in the limelight for very public battle with MND, raising awareness and bringing the disease to the front of everyones minds until his death is 2024.
You may not however have heard of Marcus Stewart. Marcus played for my beloved Ipswich Town scoring 27 goals in his time at the club including one in the 1999/2000 season playoff final. Marcus like Rob and so many others was diagnosed with MND in 2022 and now, alongside the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation raises vital funds and awareness.

Which is why myself and Lily are proudly taking part in Match of the Day III for Darby Rimmer and the Leeds Hospitals Charity
We will be walking phase 2 of the challenge which covers 115 miles starting on Thursday 4th June 2025, the day after my 46th birthday until Saturday 6th when i will no doubt feel about 86.
This phase of the event starts at Stockport County and very quickly crosses the Pennines to Yorkshire calling at Huddersfield Town where Marcus Stewart is still remembered as a hero. It calls at Bradford City where Stephen Darby’s pictures still adorn the corridors. The route again mixed football and rugby league grounds going as far north as Keighley Cougars and as far south as Sheffield Wednesday and United. It finishes appropriately where Rob Burrow grew up heading to Headingley where he played for so many years with Leeds Rhinos. The final stage is a five mile walk to the Rob Burrow Centre at the Seacroft Hospital.

• Thursday 4th – Between Stockport County and Huddersfield Town
• Friday 5th – Between Bradford City and Sheffield Wednesday
• Saturday 6th – Between Wakefield Trinity and the Rob Burrow Centre

As i am sure you will agree this will be a monumental challenge both pysically and mentally for both of us and any support you can offer will be so gratfully recieved whether it be sponsorship / social media shares / or even blister plasters and Mars bars throughout the walk.

Thanks for reading and your support :)

More information about the event and The Darby Rimmer MND Foundation can be found here. redwoodevents.co.uk/march-of-the-day-iii-part-2/