Shropshire runners join Kevin Sinfield on fundraising challenge

Sinfield, 44, is running a total of over 230 miles (370km) across the UK over the course of seven days to raise money for motor neurone disease (MND) in memory of his late teammate and friend Rob Burrow, who died of the disease earlier this year.

Members of the Shropshire Shufflers joined Sinfield on the first leg of his ‘7 in 7’ challenge between Liverpool and Wrexham. The MND Association is the running club’s charity of the year and in 2023, one of the Shufflers members, Nick Dean, was diagnosed with the condition which affects the brain and nerves.

The week-long challenge sees Sinfield and the team covering over 50km per day, visiting seven regions across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Each day is broken down into 7km blocks, the number 7 as always central to Sinfield’s challenge in recognition of his friend and former team mate Rob Burrow, who wore during his glittering career alongside Sinfield at Leeds Rhinos.

One of the local runners joining Sinfield was Graham Berry. Graham has dedicated the past five to raising vital funds and awareness for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Following the rugby league player Rob Burrow being diagnosed with MND in December 2019, Graham decided to put his best foot forward running all kinds of events and distances for the Association including the 2022 London Marathon and the Rob Burrow Leeds marathon in 2023 and 2024 where he ran personal bests twice.

Graham said: “Running with Kevin Sinfield as an MND Association runner was the highest honour. It was fantastic  to meet him and be part of a team representing Shropshire Shufflers and it was a day I’ll never forget.

“Running for the Association means everything to me. I’ve run for them for 5 years now since Rob Burrow announced his diagnosis in December 2019 and as an avid rugby league fan, I felt compelled to help find the much-needed cure. We have to keep banging the drum.

“When our own Nick Deane told us he had MND it really brought it home to me how important it is that I keep running by the MNDA runners’ mantra 'No finish line until there’s a cure!'”

Kevin Sinfield has raised over £10million for motor neurone disease.

Debbie Armstrong, Committee Member with the Shropshire Shufflers said: “The MND Association is a charity that is close to our hearts at the Shufflers. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive club and our runners have raised thousands for the charity. It was a real privilege for us to be there with Kevin Sinfield as he undertakes another gruelling challenge for a wonderful cause.”

You can support Graham with his fundraising efforts for MND Association at justgiving.com/fundraising/robburrow7.