Pride of Yorkshire lions roar for Sheffield Children's Hospital in its 150th year

This year, South Yorkshire has been home to a very friendly pride. Pride of Yorkshire, the sculpture trail from Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity, filled streets and public spaces across the region with brightly painted lions and lionesses, all raising money for one of the city's most treasured institutions.

The timing is special. Sheffield Children's Hospital first opened on 15 November 1876 as a children's infirmary in Brightmore House on Brook Hill, before moving two years later to its current home on Western Bank. Today it is run by Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, one of only three dedicated children's hospital trusts in the UK, and it is the only children's Major Trauma Centre for South Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

The trail follows in the paw prints of the charity's Herd of Sheffield in 2016 and Bears of Sheffield in 2021. This time the money is going towards the transformation of the hospital's Emergency Department. The current department opened in 1977 and was designed for 24,000 patients a year, and the charity is striving to raise £6.3 million towards a £20 million redevelopment. The aim is a calm, child-friendly space that reduces fear and anxiety, supports recovery and helps teams deliver the very best emergency care.

Each of the 150 large lion and lioness sculptures was a one-off work of art, and some carried a local twist. Def Leppard signed Paw Some Sugar, a lioness designed by South Yorkshire artist Craig Turver and lifelong fan David Allen, ahead of the band's homecoming show at Utilita Arena Sheffield. Charlotte Wilson, Project Lead for Pride of Yorkshire, said: "We're so grateful to the band for backing the trail and helping us celebrate Sheffield's incredible music heritage."

Local businesses joined in too. Henderson's Relish produced a limited-edition bottle featuring artwork by Pride of Yorkshire artist PAPERFACE, and souvenirs from plush cubs to paint-your-own lion sets have helped the fundraising carry on at home.

This October the sculptures were offered at auction, with an online sale for Doncaster and a Sheffield auction at the Crucible Theatre, giving homes and businesses the chance to keep a piece of the pride for years to come.

You can still support the campaign by donating or shopping the Pride of Yorkshire range on the trail's website.