Sadly, I did not hear about this until after the event but it deserves a BIG shout-out and if nothing else I want to show my respect.

The University of Bradford Stadium’s centre circle was the finishing line for the 56for56 Walk – a fundraising campaign marking the 40th anniversary of the Valley Parade Fire Disaster – prior to last Saturday’s match against Crewe Alexandra.

Crews from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Bradford Fire Station embarked on a remarkable 75-mile journey from Lincoln City to Bradford, raising vital funds for the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit (PSBRU) in memory of the 56 supporters who tragically lost their lives and the hundreds more left with life-changing injuries on May 11 1985.

The walk will began on Friday April 4 from Lincoln City’s LNER Stadium, with firefighters from Lincoln Fire Station accompanying the Bradford crew on their journey towards Valley Parade.

Among those joining the walk at its halfway point were Bradford City legends Gary Jones and James Hanson. They will bring with them a football that has been partially signed by the Lincoln City squad. After the match, the ball will be completed with signatures from the Bradford City squad before being auctioned to raise additional funds.

Fans can still show their support and donate via the following channels:

• Online: https://www.justgiving.com/page/56for56
• Text donations: Text 10BRADFORD or 20BRADFORD to 70470 to donate £10 or £20.

The 56for56 campaign also includes car washes, fire station open days, a Legends match and a black tie dinner, with all proceeds going towards PSBRU, with the target of raising £56,000.

Here is a short video for those who don’t want to go on Twitter

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