Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity recently announced that a pride of lion sculptures will be taking over South Yorkshire in 2026 to celebrate 150 years of Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
Visitors to the Rotherham Show were treated to a close-up look at the launch lion Dandylion and cub painted by artist Sian Ellis. Both quickly became favourites with families and show-goers, with plenty of selfies and questions about the trail.
Lots of crafty kids joined the team to design their own lions and lionesses and make fabulous lion masks. Dandylion and the cub sparked hundreds of conversations about Pride of Yorkshire, the schools and businesses involved, and the 150 lions and 150 cubs that will roar to life across South Yorkshire in summer 2026.
Rachel Braund, who leads Social Media for Pride of Yorkshire, said the show was the perfect opportunity to connect with the people who’ll love next year’s trail, adding: “It was such a brilliant event! Everyone swooned over our lions and were keen to find out when they’ll be hitting the streets . It was lovely to chat to children and hear what designs they’d like to see – and also see them deep in concentration mode making their own masks!
"We loved seeing everyone’s quirky and colourful lion designs!
"We were blown away by the enthusiasm and warm welcome from Rotherham residents and visitors alike. A huge thank you to the organisers for hosting us – and to everyone who came along to meet Dandylion and our cub."
Dina is a student and spent her first day with the charity on Saturday. She said: “I really enjoyed attending this event and meeting everyone. It was lovely to help support such an important cause.”
Pride of Yorkshire website
Images: Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity
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