25 Aug 2026 Patient and Family Stories

11 year old Will takes on incredible 18 mile walk to thank The Kirkwood

An inspirational 11 year old Sheffield Wednesday supporter is preparing to take on an incredible 18 mile walk in memory of his beloved grandad, raising vital funds for The Kirkwood as a thank you for the care his family received earlier this year.

On Saturday 12th September 2026, Will Dunk will walk from The Foresters Arms in Lower Cumberworth his grandad Russell Scott’s favourite local pub all the way to Hillsborough, the home of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club.

For Will, this is much more than an 18 mile fundraising challenge. The route will retrace a journey he made many times with his grandad and bring back precious memories of their shared love of the Owls. Russell was 64 when he was cared for by The Kirkwood earlier this year after being diagnosed with brain cancer. 

Sadly, Russell died on The Kirkwood's In-Patient Unit on 18th February 2026. Now Will is determined to do something positive in his grandad’s memory and help us continue providing specialist care and support for other local people and families.

Russell was a lifelong Sheffield Wednesday supporter and his love of the club was something he shared with his grandson. Some of Will’s most treasured memories are of travelling with his grandad to Hillsborough to watch the Owls together.

That connection inspired Will to come up with a very special challenge. Rather than simply choosing an 18 mile route, Will will follow the same roads his grandad used when driving him from Lower Cumberworth to Hillsborough.

Will said: “Grandad had been a Sheffield Wednesday fan all his life, and I am as well. My route is going to be the same way as the way Grandad would drive me to watch the Owls.”

Will's walk will begin at The Foresters Arms in Lower Cumberworth, which was Russell’s favourite local pub, before making the 18 mile journey on foot to Hillsborough. The challenge is expected to take around seven hours to complete, with Will hoping to arrive at Hillsborough in time to watch Sheffield Wednesday take on Wigan Athletic later that day.

It will be a long and challenging day for the 11 year old, but the meaning behind every mile will provide plenty of motivation. For Will, the walk is not only an opportunity to remember his grandad. It is also his way of saying thank you for the care Russell received from our teams during the final days of his life.

Will said: “I wanted to do this walk to raise money so others could experience the same amazing treatment and care my grandad received from The Kirkwood community and staff.”

Having experienced first hand the difference specialist palliative care can make to a family, Will is passionate about helping The Kirkwood continue to be there for people across Kirklees.

He added: “The Kirkwood is very important to the community. This service is very needed. I feel I’m paying back for the amazing care my grandad received in The Kirkwood.”

Will originally hoped to raise £1,000 through his challenge, but the response from those supporting his walk has already exceeded his expectations. Before he has even taken his first step towards Hillsborough, he has smashed his original fundraising target, raising more than £1,400 for The Kirkwood so far.

The incredible response means a great deal to Will and his family. Will said: “My mum and family are very proud of me. My target was £1,000, which we have smashed already.”

Every pound raised through Will’s challenge will help us continue providing specialist care and support to local people affected by life limiting illnesses, as well as their families and those closest to them.

Will is also keen to thank everyone who has supported his fundraising so far, as well as the teams who cared for his grandad. He said: “I would like to thank The Kirkwood for treating my grandad in his final days with perfect care and also a massive thank you to all my current sponsors who have gone out of their way and donated their own money to such a great cause.”

When Will leaves The Foresters Arms and begins his journey towards Sheffield on 12th September, he will be following a route filled with memories. Instead of sitting alongside his grandad on the drive to Hillsborough, Will will make the journey on foot with every one of the 18 miles dedicated to Russell.

We are incredibly grateful to Will for choosing to support The Kirkwood in such a special way and to everyone who has already backed his challenge. By turning the memories he shared with his grandad into something positive, Will is helping us continue providing the care and support that meant so much to his own family.

Will’s fundraising total continues to grow. You can support his challenge and help him raise even more for The Kirkwood by donating through his JustGiving page HERE.