CHARITY BLOG'S FIRST EVER THOUSAND
Three years ago when I stepped down from the Central Midlands Football League Committee, due to not being too well and also wanting to spend more time with my little son with Autism, I still wanted to go and watch Non League Football though.
Two good friends of mine Malc Storer & Kev Goodman a year earlier had set up a blog and decided to sponsor each goal they saw scored and raised a massive £800 for a charity. I thought this was a excellent idea, as when on the CMFL Committee, my wife Hazel would do raffles for the Chairmans Charity each year.
I'd never set up a blog before, so I had a go, I know its not the World's best and it is full of spelling mistakes etc, but hey people can have a laugh and boy do they read it. The First year, we adopted the Epilipsy Unit at University Hospital in Nottingham as I suffer with three Grand Mal fits a week that are uncontrolled and raised over £500 which made me very proud of doing.
Last season, we adopted the Cancer Unit at Mansfield's Kings Mill Hospital and raised £800 as I have fought and beaten Hodkins Lymphomia twice in 1990 and again in 1997.
This season, me and my wife felt we should look for a smaller charity to help and we visited The Oaklands, a small place for Adults with Special Needs, that provides help for them to do the very basics in life, like do the washing, teaching to cook, first aid skills etc. A very friendly place based in Warsop, just outside of Mansfield.
We have always sponsored ourselves 25p a goal seen scored and it always astounds me that clubs, people(some I don't even know) come up to me and donate towards the total and a big thankyou to all of them. The Notts Senior Football League have been a great support, allowing us to set up a programme stall at the Annual League's Groundhop and doing the raffle at their Cup Finals.
I go out each season with a target of raising £100 and anything over that is a bonus, so to hit £1000 this season has really shocked us, a nice shock of course.
With still a few games to go to, including the Notts Senior League Reserve Cup Final on Thursday between Linby CW Reserves and Radcliffe Olympic Reserves being held at Keyworth United FC, then Saturday at Greyfriars Fc v Ashland Rovers FC, Bank Holiday Monday at a noon kick off at Moorgreen FC v Greyfriars, Tuesday Night at Arnold Town FC for the Notts Senior League Cup Final for Boots Athletic v Hucknall Rolls Leisure and my final match of the season a title decider at Clifton All Whites FC v South Normanton FC, we hope that we can get a few more pennies in, if anyone would like to make a donation at these matches, please come and see me or Hazel.