Fundraising best friends Hughie and Freddie visited Leicester to continue their epic 100km challenge to help children with cancer across the nation.
The challenge which the two friends have been on ever since 2021 will see them visiting football grounds across the UK. On bank holiday Monday (1 May) they visited the King Power Stadium home of Leicester City Football Club to raise money for Leicester Hospitals Charity and fundraise for the local children’s oncology wards during the home match against Everton.
The money raised on the day will go towards Leicester's Hospitals’ children’s oncology department to purchase items like Slushie Puppies to help soothe young patients’ throats during their cancer treatment.
Hughie Higginson was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia) in 2020 and began urgent treatment at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. Wanting to support his friend, best pal Freddie Xavi set himself a challenge of running 2km every day in the 50 days leading up to Christmas Day 2020 – finishing his challenge live on BBC Breakfast on Christmas Day morning.
Since then, the duo has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Pride of Britain award, and their fundraising has captured the hearts of audiences of both local and national media – helping to propel their fundraising total to more than £300,000 for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity.
Now the pair, who are both football fanatics, are doing a 100km challenge together –
touring the UK to run 1km around each Premier League and English Football League
club.
The boys, who are both from Burnley, started their challenge on Boxing Day in 2021 by running around their favourite ground – Burnley FC’s home at Turf Moor.
Since 2021 Hughie and Freddie have run at Burnley FC, Walsall FC, Birmingham City, Bolton, Blackburn Rovers and Wigan, with the King Power Stadium being their 25th stadium to complete.
Staff at The Gresham Aparthotel were delighted to host Hughie and Freddie with their families whilst they stayed in Leicester. This also coincided with Hughie’s birthday so the team left a balloon and card as a surprise for him in his room.
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