Twins complete 19th challenge for Children in Need

When they were eight years old, twins Ellie and Abby Holloway did their first ever fundraising challenge for BBC Children in Need.

This year, now 26, they have completed their 19th – a 43-mile (69km) walk over three days from Pudsey, Yorkshire, to Media City in Salford.

That means the sisters, from Hill Ridware, near Rugeley, Staffordshire, have done one every year since their first, raising more than £40,000 for the charity in the process.

"We get a really good buzz from it because we've got such a nice community of people who continue to sponsor us every year," Ellie told BBC Radio Stoke.

"We're both teachers and we get to work with young people every day. We know exactly how beneficial the money can be. That keeps us going."

They did their first challenge, a six-mile walk, after seeing an advert on television.

Abby said they thought it would be "a bit of fun".

"Our mum sorted us out and after that, people started asking us what we were doing next year," she added.

"We thought it was great fun so we kept doing it. The charity itself is amazing – we're both teachers so the fact it helps young people is nice for both of us.

"Reading some of the stories during appeal night just makes us cry. It's really nice to hear about how that money helps people."

The pair have completed a range of challenges since their first, including a mud run, blindfolded walks, three-legged runs and the Yorkshire three peaks, which they said was the toughest challenge.

For 2026, they decided to walk from Pudsey because of it's connection to the beloved BBC Children in Need mascot – the yellow bear was named after the Yorkshire town.

They completed the hike on Sunday and Ellie said the second day in particular was really tough, walking 19 of the 43 miles.

Despite suffering with blisters and sore legs, Ellie said: "We managed to pull each other through it.

"We got lots of donations when we were going around, so that really helped us to keep going."

For this one challenge, the twins have raised more than £1,100 so far, Ellie said.

Despite it taking "quite a big chunk" of their free time during this part of the year, she said they would keep on doing it.

Abby said: "When we're raising the money, it does feel like a bit of fun. When it gets tough, it does help to think about where that money is going."

Meanwhile, Ellie said she would "definitely recommend" it to others, adding: "It is really fun. It can be a challenge but it feels amazing once you're done."

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.