Kevin Sinfield plotting subsequent charity drive 24 hours after ending fundraiser
Just one day after finishing his latest charity drive, where he took on seven ultra-marathons in a week, Kevin Sinfield is already planning his next big fundraising challenge
People’s Knight ‘Sir Kev’ Sinfield is already plotting his next charity ultra-marathons — 24 hours after finishing seven in a week to raise £1.3million. The rugby ace — who the Daily Star is backing for a knighthood — does not plan to wait a year before he launches his next gruelling challenge to raise cash to find a cure for motor neurone disease.
Before he had crossed the finishing line in Leeds on Sunday after running nearly 200 miles across Britain and Ireland in seven days his mind was firmly on his next challenge. Kevin, 45, plans to clock up another seven 27.9-milers in a week culminating in a big finish at rugby’s 2026 Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford, Manchester, on October 3.
He wants to run one epic leg across the M62 – the highest motorway in England peaking at a wind-lashed 1,221ft and one of Britain’s busiest roads It would be the seventh successive year the current England rugby union coach has tackled a 7-in-7 ultra-marathon challenge — raising more than £11m to help the UK’s 8,000 sufferers of the degenerative nerve condition which causes muscle weakness, stiffness and paralysis.
He was inspired by his ex-Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain rugby league star team-mate Rob Burrow who died last year aged 41 after a five-year battle with the disease. This year Rob set out to raise £777,777 in honour of the No7 shirt Rob used to wear.
But he has nearly doubled that total with donations continuing to fly in last night at a rate of £25-a-minute. Kevin declared this year’s challenge ‘mission accomplished’ and is already focused on 2026.
He said: “We’re going to go a little bit earlier. The plan is to finish at the Super League Grand Final, which will be on October 3, and almost finish back where we started.
“The first challenge was in the north — in Leeds and Oldham where I’m from. But to bring it back to Rob and back to rugby league heartland — hopefully we’ll run right across the M62 and back to Old Trafford.
“The great thing is the momentum is getting stronger and better. We didn’t know how much fuel it would have left but someone’s thrown a couple of extra pieces of coal on there so we’re looking forward to next year.
“That’s pretty much planned.” Kevin said it will be fitting if next year’s challenge, his seventh, is the last.
But he has pledged to carry on to raise cash and awareness for the cause. A host of celebrities and politicians have joined the Daily Star’s campaign for his selfless fundraising to be recognised with a knighthood.
Nearly 50,000 Brits have signed an online change.org petition backing the move. It says: “We need to publicly appreciate people like Kevin. He has always been a local hero and now he is most definitely a national hero and it’s time he got recognised for it.
“The words legend and hero are often handed out but on this occasion they are totally fitting for this bloke. A knighthood is exactly what Kevin Sinfield deserves. Let’s spread some light and happiness — sign the petition to properly recognise ‘Sir Kev’ for his efforts!”
Darts ace Luke Littler, 18, a big rugby league fan, has given the gong his backing after donating thousands of pounds of his winnings to the cause. Rob’s widow Lindsey, 42, also believes Kevin’s efforts are worthy of one of Britain’s top honours.
TV presenter Piers Morgan wrote on X: “Few more deserving candidates for a knighthood than Kevin Sinfield after another astonishing achievement from this remarkable man.” House of Commons’ speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle wrote on X: “What an amazing man, you have earned a knighthood.”
Andy Bell, 49, chairman of Featherstone Lions Rugby Club in Wakefield where Burrow played as a youngster, called on the rule book to be re-written so Kevin can get his sir-hood. The marathon man got an OBE in 2021 for his services to rugby league and a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours List for all he has done to raise motor neurone disease awareness.
Gong rules state folk should wait three years before getting further accolades. But Andy said Kev ‘should have been knighted by now really’.
“What he has done is quite exceptional,” he said. “I know that there is a rule that says he cannot be honoured within three years of his last honour.
“People don’t really know about that rule around here and he would be as good a reason as any to break that rule. The fans already call him Sir Kevin.”
Independent peer Lord John Mann has said: “Protocol should be overridden in this case, absolutely. The public acclamation demands it.” Find out how to donate to Kev’s campaign here.
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