From John Burkhill's Magic Million to a Dronfield mum needed a rare cancer treatment in Germany, Sheffielders are quick to help a good cause.
In the modern age, when a tragedy strikes or when a good person is taken too soon, online fundraisers often spring up to help families in their hour of need.
Some are set up in hope, such as when £60,000 was donated in the space of a week to help mum Amy Smith afford immunotherapy in Germany on the chance it could save her life.
More recently, more than £25,000 has been donated to help 23-year-old Olivia Corbiere and her family. The young woman suffered a horror ski accident that saw her placed in a coma. Now, her family report she is awake, making a dramatic rebound.
There have also been acts of solidarity, such as the tens of thousands raised in memory of five-year-old Sunderland AFC fan Bradley Lowery in response to a SWFC fan's sick taunt using the young lad's picture at a match last year.
Here are 11 of the biggest, most successful, or most touching fundraising stories to receive a public online fundraiser in the recent years in Sheffield.
1. Sam Hardwick - SWFC fans help family be at side of Sheffield postal worker injured in germany
Sam Hardwick,a postal worker from from Sheffield, was placed in a medically induced coma in Hamburg, Germany following an accident whilst travelling in October 2023. Sheffield Wednesdays FC's official X account called for fans' support for a GoFundMe so his family could join him Germany. With an initial goal of £5,000, wellwishers raised a total of £8,985. The last update was on November 4 that reported Sam was out of his coma and was fighting like "an absolute warrior." - https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/people/sam-hardwick-sheffield-wednesday-urged-fans-to-support-gofundme-for-local-lad-hospitalised-in-germany-4375645
2. Olivia Corbiere - Sheffield readers gripped by story of horror ski accident raise £25,000
Olivia Corbiere, 23, from Aston, slipped into a coma and was in a critical condition a horrific skiing accident in Bulgaria on March 17, 2024. Sheffield readers were gripped by her story in recent weeks and raised more than £25,000 so her family could be at her side. This week (March 26), her family were "buzzing" to announce Liv had taken a turn for the better and is now awake, breathing by herself and communicating in nods to her nurses. - https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/people/olivia-corbiere-aston-sheffield-rotherham-family-buzzing-after-latest-update-on-ski-crash-victims-rollercoaster-recovery-4568749 Photo: Olivia Corbiere
3. Leah Walton - friend of Jude Mellon-Jameson raises £25k
Leah Walton, from Sheffield, has raised a total of £25,000 for charity in just two years in memory of Jude Mellon-Jameson, the little boy of former Owls goalkeeper Arron Jameson and who passed away aged 5 last September from neuroblastoma. £10,000 of this amount was raised in just five months for The Children Hospital's Charity through her JustGiving page. Dad Craig, aged 50, said: "She's such a kind, generous kid. She never stops, she’s absolutely crackers." - justgiving.com/page/leahwalton21012
4. Rebekah Ridge - Sheffield mum who wouldn't let Storm Elin keep her from running Percy Pud in memory of daughter
Rebekah Ridge arrived at Sheffield's Percy Pud 2023 on December 10 to find it had been sadly cancelled by Storm Elin. But she decided that wasn't going to stop her running in memory of her daughter and she took on the 10k route all on her own. Her efforts were applauded by all the runners who couldn't make it and her fundraising page in memory of daughter Paprika was bumped up to over £3,500 in total. - https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-mum-cancelled-percy-pud-2023-alone-memory-daughter-overwhelmed-by-support-4446345