Two colleagues are preparing to hold a football match to raise money for a cancer charity after a mutual friend lost both his parents to the disease.
Adam Broadley, 34, a Team Supervisor for Patient Transport Services (PTS) based at Heath Ambulance Station, and Rebecca West, a patient care assistant for the PTS based in Heanor are hoping to raise £2,000 for Macmillan Cancer Care at the Peter West Memorial Trophy football match.
Peter West was Rebecca’s father in law, and her husband John is Adam’s best friend. Sadly, Peter West died from lymphoma four years ago, and John also lost his mother when he was 19. Peter spent much of his later life raising money for Macmillan Cancer Care through raffles and auctions and so his son has continued raising funds for the charity.
Following the success of the football match in Eastwood last year which raised a fantastic £3,000 for the charity, Adam and Rebecca want to raise another £2,000 to help even more people across the country who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Adam said: “Last year we decided to hold a football match in memory of Peter and the response blew us out the water. Our original target was just £700 and we couldn’t believe it when we hit £2,000.
“The Butlins Allstars lost 4-1 to The Rest of the World and have demanded a rematch this year, all in the name of charity. It would be great to hit £5,000 over two years.
“In Patient Transport Services we pick up a lot of people having chemotherapy and radiotherapy and it really opens up your eyes to what people are going through on a daily basis. Almost everyone knows someone who has had cancer, so help us support more people battling with the disease.
“It would be great to have lots of people come down to cheer us on. It would mean such a lot to us and it’s all in the memory of such a great guy.”
The two teams will be made up of Adam and Jon’s friends from Butlins where they worked together as teenagers, versus Adam’s friends from Yorkshire where he grew up. The other two friends helping them organise the event are Richard Keeling and Adam’s brother Rik.
The four will ensure the whole match is as professional as possible – complete with kits bought by the players, official referees, managers for each team and a penalty competition at half time for children
The Butlins Allstars v The Rest of the World rematch will be held at 4pm on Saturday, May 27, at Eastwood Community Football Club in Chewton Street, and entry will cost just £2.
Anyone who cannot attend the match is asked to donate a prize for the charity auction, buy a raffle ticket or make a donation by visiting the Just Giving page
The top auction prize is currently a caravan holiday in Chapel St Leonards in Lincolnshire.