Children in Need Rickshaw Relay 2022: When does the relay start and when does it come to Birmingham?

The 2022 Children in Need Rickshaw Relay Challenge is underway and is set to start one of the days in Birmingham. The Birmingham stretch will take place on Thursday (October 20) and will finish up in Coventry.

A popular event each year, the relay takes in some of the most iconic locations in some of the UK’s nicest cities. This year, stops and starts along the way include Durham and Northampton as well as Birmingham and Coventry.

The relay will see five young people from Children in Need funded charities take part at various stages from today (October 17) to until Friday (October 21). This year each rider will take on a day of the challenge and cycle alongside BBC’s Matt Baker.

Who is taking part in the Birmingham leg of the relay?

Representing Birmingham on the Rickshaw route is Sanna. She has lived with an inherited blood disorder, called Thalassemia, all of her life. It means there’s less haemoglobin in her blood, which is needed to carry oxygen around the body.

Every four weeks Sanna spends a day in hospital having a blood transfusion, without this she’d become anaemic and extremely tired.Although not outwardly visible, Thalassemia impacts heavily on day to day life.

At 12 years old she was introduced to OSCAR Birmingham, a project supporting children with Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anaemia.  Here Sanna was able to meet others like her and get the support she needed.

Now aged 20, Sanna is still at OSCAR to mentor younger children, giving the same support back that she once received.  She has also become inspired to train as a child nurse.

What is the route for Birmingham?

Starting at 8.30am at Birmingham City University, the route through Birmingham includes passing the Seacole Building, Westbourne Road, heading through Ladywood Middleway A4540, then through Jewellery Quarter to OSCAR, moving onto Birmingham Children’s Hospital down Newhall Street and Ludgate Hill, onto Queensway. Proceeding through Eastside, Bordesley Green and heading out of the City through A34, Sparkbrook, Hall Green and heading to the end destination of Kenilworth Castle.