A disease that has affected most of us in one way or another is cancer, whether that’s suffering from the disease in a personal capacity, or being there for friends or family who are unfortunate enough to have developed it. There’s no question that receiving a diagnosis would be a difficult moment in someone’s life. Continual research gives hope to others and helps to improve living conditions as well as outcomes and it is something that we feel is very important to us.
The Erith Group was a major sponsor of this year’s Football Vs. Cancer matchday, where ex professionals and celebrities joined forces with like minded individuals to play 90 minutes of football in the name of raising vital funds to help combat cancer. Played at the home of Bolton Wanderers Football Club, Matt Harper (ICT Director), and Stuart Accleton (Director, Erith Haulage) represented the Erith Group amongst celebrities such as Liverpool and Spurs’ star Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock, Paul Canoville (first black player to play for Chelsea FC), England legend Des Walker, Scottish international players, Colin Hendry, John McGinlay and Craig Mackail-Smith, Football Pundit Aaron McLean, Frank Sinclair, David Norris and many others. The event featured high-quality football from both professional and non-professionals and concluded with a gala dinner, where attendees dined, danced, and participated in a charity auction.
Whilst at the event, Matt and Stuart spoke with David Taylor of the charity In Sue’s Name, who are one of Football Vs. Cancer’s handful of beneficiaries, and David told us the harrowing story of losing his daughter six weeks after her diagnosis. Soon after an operation to remove multiple brain tumours, Sue died in 2011 at the young age of 42, leaving behind two very small children. In Sue’s Name has raised over £500,000 and aims to raise a million by the end of 2027. Events like Football Vs. Cancer will help them to reach their target. Following contact with the NFDC, Stuart requested an additional Charitable Donation from the Federation’s trust.
Although academic, the final result was 5-3 to the professionals but the score line was the least important story of the day.
For anybody who would like to support the impressive work done so far, please contact Shaun@footballvscancer.co.uk or click on to https://footballvscancer.co.uk/ for further information, but for now, we’re looking forward to next year’s event which the organisers hope will be played at the MK Dons Stadium in Milton Keynes.
