Taking on Leeds Liverpool Canal for the

Airedale Emergency Department Appeal.

On Saturday 17th May 2025, Cheryl (Airedales ED Nurse Manager) will be taking the Long Way Home with her partner, Darren.

Cheryl and Darren will be donning their cycling shorts and helmets and taking on all 127 miles of Leeds Liverpool canal on two wheels in memory of their boy, “Baby Jack Jack” who tragically died suddenly and unexpectedly on Boxing Day 2022.

Cheryl has shown incredible courage and dedication to Airedale over the years. Not least her return to nursing after losing her youngest baby boy. But Jacks story and their incredible strength and commitment to keep going for their eldest son, Louis, now five years of age, has helped raise over £220,000 for local good causes.

They now want to drive this amazing energy to support the local ED Appeal which has been a pillar for them over the years.

Cheryl has been with the hospital since the age of sixteen and has now recently taken on her new role as the Emergency Department Nurse Manager.

Darren, a local Police Officer has now returned to front line duties.

Darren and Cheryl are far from competent cyclists! (Cheryl still needs stabilisers) but they are prepared to put the work in for this amazing appeal. Their plan is to start in Liverpool on Saturday 17th May 2025 and cycle the entirety of the canal with the intention of arriving in Leeds City Centre by early Sunday afternoon and then returning back to Airedale General Hospital to complete the challenge.

“Please support your local Emergency Department as they have us.“

Darren

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In 2014 Airedale's brand new Emergency Department opened. Every year since then an average of 75,000 patients have walked through those doors to seek emergency care. That means in just 9 years over half a million people have received help from the Airedale Emergency Department when they need it most.

Like everything well used, some of the most important areas in the Emergency Department are starting to look a bit tired and this is where they need us.

With our help they are raising funds to give the Emergency Department some TLC, to make a real difference, to provide those added extras that make a real difference to us as patients and our local community.