Introducing #TeamWISHH Great North Run 2025
Eleven runners are representing the WISHH Charity at this years Great North Run, seeing 60,000 runners take part in what is dubbed as the “World’s Biggest and best” half marathon. Our fantastic team are just one team of seventeen of representing NHS Charities across the United Kingdom involving over 650 runners taking part in this 13.1-mile route from Newcastle and finishing in South Shields, to support their local hospitals.
Meet #TeamWISHH:
Danny Spavin-Hague and James Rymer are running and fundraising together to support the WISHH Baby Loss Appeal, helping raise funds towards the refurbishment of the bereavement suite, following using the bereavement suite twice to deliver Danny and Kelley’s angel babies Theo and his little sister Lila. Danny said, if it wasn’t for the bereavement suite combined with the amazing teams unwavering and unconditional support, it would have made a tough journey one hundred times harder. Support Danny and James: https://www.justgiving.com/page/daniel-spavin-haigh
Rachel Sanderson said, “I’ve chosen to run the Great North Run in September 2025 for the WISHH Charity because it is a charity that is very close to my heart! Only two years ago, one of our friends was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma and Leukaemia. With the help and work of the amazing doctors and nurses on the Teenage and Young Adults Cancer Unit at Castle Hill Hospital, he has just reached his two years all clear! The work that the staff do every day is life changing for many people, so I thought it was only right to raise as much money as possible to help this great cause! Thank you” Support Rachel here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/rachel-sanderson2025
Debbie Garrett said, “I have run and raised funds for a few different national charities but this time I wanted to run for a local charity. When I read that WISHH were running a Baby Loss Appeal to raise funds for a new bereavement suite that was something personal to me.
“I had my first miscarriage over 20 years ago and back then there was not an appropriate space to take parents when they received devastating news. I remember being taken back to a ward with pregnant ladies and all I had for privacy was a curtain. I think creating this suite is vitally important to a mother and father’s emotional wellbeing”. Support Debbie here: https://AJBellgreatnorthrun2025.enthuse.com/pf/debbie-garrett
Jamie Garner is proud to work for the Trust and enjoying contributing to the Charity. James said, “For most of the past year I was a patient and underwent intense chemotherapy. I am forever grateful for the hospital medical staff for supporting and caring for me. Through the Great North Run I want to do my best to support WISHH to help them support more patients across our hospitals who deliver such great outstanding care”. Support James: https://ajbellgreatnorthrun2025.enthuse.com/pf/jamie-garner
Annie Norton, “My dad is a keen runner, and he encouraged me to go out with him, spending quality time together making memories. Now at almost 80, he’s hung up his trainers and firmly passed the baton to me. I’m really excited to be running the Great North Run this year, knowing my dad will be cheering me on and raising money for an incredible charity. Support Annie: https://ajbellgreatnorthrun2025.enthuse.com/pf/annie-norton
Kevin Sewell, former hospital Catering Manager, now retired said, “I’m itching to do the Great North Run this year and overjoyed to support WISHH in doing so. Some years ago, our son was diagnosed with a lifelong health condition that resulted in a stay at Hull Royal Infirmary. During this stay in hospital, we saw firsthand how WISHH donations helped to make hospital stays a little more palatable for inpatients.
“I’ve had the opportunity to ‘Don a WISHH vest’ for several WISHH fundraising events now, helping to raise much needed £’s to help make a difference.” Support Kevin here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/kevin-sewell-2
Samantha Pickering, is one of the many friendly faces within the Queen’s Centre Day unit. Samantha, a sister, has worked closely with WISHH supported by a number of patients bringing many enhancements to the Day Unit for the benefit of patients. From Blanket warmers, comfortable furniture, artwork, additional wheelchairs, Air Gloves to aid canulation and much more. This year Sam is taking part in the event herself and is looking forward to the challenge. Support Sam here: https://ajbellgreatnorthrun2025.enthuse.com/pf/samantha-pickering
Kimberley Squires, part of the Emergency Department team at Hull Royal Infirmary. Kimberley said, “I see how WISHH helps our Trust, patients, and visitors on a regular basis. In particular WISHH has impacted our department as our staff room was refurbished post Covid-19 by WISHH and gives us in the Emergency Department a wonderful tranquil place to take our break away from the clinical department.” Support Kimberley here: https://AJBellgreatnorthrun2025.enthuse.com/pf/kimberley-squires
Adam Curry said, “I was born and raised in a town called Jarrow. The Great North Run passes through Jarrow every year. If you’re from the Northeast, it’s something which everyone says you have to do at least once in your life! So here we are, I was finally successful in the ballot and will be travelling up from Hull to run the best race I possibly can. Hoping for a personal best and will have a lot of my family cheering me on!
“I also want to raise as much money as possible for the WISHH Charity, my wife Lois is a rotational midwife and I truly believe she and all of her colleagues who work within Women and Children’ Hospitals are superstars and the work of the WISHH Charity goes a long way to improving care and making it easier for the families. The Baby Loss Appeal is something which I really wanted to support and is also my way of showing my appreciation for the brilliant job that Lois, her fellow midwives and the specialist bereavement midwives do on a daily basis.
Picture is of Lois and I, at Colman’s in South Shields, which I recommend everyone go to when they finish the race! It is just down the road from the finish line. Support Adam here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/adamsgreatnorthrun
Last, but not least, Alex Buchann – a surgeon at Castle Hill is taking part in this year’s event and is looking forward to the challenge. Help kick-start Alex’s fundraising by supporting here: https://AJBellgreatnorthrun2025.enthuse.com/pf/alex-buchannan
Lisa Whitton of the WISHH Charity said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our runners for putting their best foot forward to raise funds for the WISHH Charity and areas of the hospitals’ that are close to their hearts. You can choose to support individuals through their fundraising pages accessed by the links above, or support the whole team by clicking here https://ajbellgreatnorthrun2025.enthuse.com/wishhcharity/profile and we will ensure any donations are shared between each of the runners chosen areas of the hospitals.”
If you would like to find out more about the work of WISHH and how we help us make a difference across Hull Hospitals, visit our website www.wishhcharity.org.uk or contact Lisa.whitton3@nhs.net
Photos shared with permission of runners.