7 in 7 Together: Kevin Sinfield aims to bring MND community together with latest challenge

Kevin and his team will once again hit the streets of the UK and Republic of Ireland this December to raise money and awareness for those impacted by motor neurone disease.

Kevin, who along with his team have already raised over £10 million with five previous challenges, is set to run seven ultra marathons in seven days across seven cities or regions.

Again, this will include an Extra Mile event where members of the MND community will join Kev for one mile each day from December 1 to 7.

Each day will be broken down into 7km blocks that Sinfield must complete inside the hour, before setting off on the next leg on the hour.

This year, Kevin and the team will visit new locations that could be overlooked by major events so the MND community in each know they are not forgotten.

The name for this year’s challenge is 7 in 7: Together.

The challenge will start on Monday, December 1 as the team arrive in East Anglia, running from Bury St Edmunds to Ipswich in tribute to former Ipswich Town striker Marcus Stewart, who is living with MND.

On December 2, the team will return to the Republic of Ireland. Back in 2023, Kevin was joined by legendary Irish broadcaster Charlie Bird in Dublin before Charlie passed away after his battle with MND in March 2024.

This time the 7 in 7 team will arrive in Cork with the Irish MND Association who once again are one of the beneficiaries from the challenge.

The day will also see the team remember former Warrington Rugby League player and Munster Rugby Union coach Paul Darbyshire, who died in 2011 from MND.

On December 3, the 7 in 7 challenge goes to Wales for a circuit of Swansea before moving back to England on December 4 to South Yorkshire and the challenge of an ultra-marathon around the hills of Sheffield.

This day will finish at the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) where groundbreaking research is being done to find treatment and hopefully ultimately a cure for MND, including work part-funded by previous challenges.

On December 5, Kevin and the team will move to Cumbria with a run from Workington to Whitehaven in a region that is passionate about Rugby League that will ensure a warm reception even in the depths of winter.

The penultimate day will see the challenge move to Scotland with the late Doddie Weir always an inspiration for the team when they cross the Border. This day will start at the legendary golf course Carnoustie before travelling into Dundee.

The challenge will be completed as Kevin and the team return to Leeds for the first time since 2023 and the passing of Rob Burrow last year.

This will start in North Yorkshire before culminating at AMT Headingley Rugby Stadium.

Six MND charities will once again benefit from the challenge. The MND Association are the main beneficiary along with donations to Leeds Hospitals Charity’s support for the Rob Burrow Centre, Irish MND Association, Darby Rimmer Foundation, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and MND Scotland.

Kevin said, “We have committed to doing seven annual challenges, as most people know the number seven is special to us because it is the number Rob wore.

"There are so many special memories from the previous challenges when people are so grateful that we have come to their village, town or city.

"With this penultimate challenge we wanted to continue that theme. The logistics around getting to each region in the timescale is part of our challenge but it is worth it when we receive such a warm welcome.”

Donations can be made here.