THANKYOU TO ALL DONATORS

THANKYOU TO ALL DONATORS

The 2015-16 season is near but over so I thought I would thank everyone who has helped support the two charities that the blog is to donate to this season

1. THE FOXTON CENTRE
2. INTEGRITAS

For many years, my wife Hazel did raffles at the Cup Finals that went to charities like the Air Ambulance,  Cystic Fibrosis, Marie Curie, Bluebell Hospice amongst others.

A few years ago, a friend Malcolm Storer and his friend Kev Goodman approached me as they knew that we went to a centre that aided parents who had children with special needs, as many of you know our son Shawn has autism and they raised over £800 from their blog.

As I liked taking photos at matches I attend and doing the odd write up, this encouraged me to do a blog and sponsor myself 25p each goal I saw scored through out the season, with a goal over £100, since then we have seen the Blog grow each season having raised money for the Cancer Department that I was treated at and also the eplipsy department, amongst others.

This season I wanted to help a small charity and a good friend Michael Osborne suggested Integritas, I had already chosen the Foxton Centre, but both charities were small, not funded by governement grants and both had very similar goals to aid people with mental issues, also ex military who had become homeless and people who needed help as they were vulnerable. This hit home to me, as I ran away from Birmingham when young and lived a while on the streets of Nottingham in the winter snow.

Ive known Mick(Michael) Osborne since around 1989 when he used to be the programme editor of Attenborough FC where the programme was of a golden yellow colour. His son was my best man at my wedding to Hazel. Mick at the time I  first met him worked till his retirement at Plessey in Beeston and when he step down from Attenborough FC, he began to groundhop with his son Greg, who on the odd days would give me a lift to matches, one day remembered is to Yate Town and the famous christmas tree we passed six times with my poor directions.

Mick kindly said he would also sponsor a goal this season for my blogs 2 charities and he kept to his word, raising a great amount of £77.40p to take the total up to £1,390.70p, which wife Hazel has said she will top up to £1,400, so each charity will get £700 each.

Next seasons Charity Blog will be for the 10th Mansfield Scouts Group to whicb Shawn goes to, they have helped him come along and make new friends and he has been working towards badges, the Scout Group meet in a area of Mansfield where there are quite a few under privileged families, so support for the group is very important to enhence childrens activities, as the group does require new equipment..Mick & Greg have both begun the fund off for next season with a £10 each donation and the raffle money from the Notts Senior League Senior Cup & Junior Cup Finals will also be added to the total for the new blog which I will set up very soon.

Mick has been so kind to send me a email hence below:

After volunteering with Notts Healthcare Trust for 10 years since I retired, I was invited to join a newly formed Charity, Integritas as a Trustee and Board Member in 2012 two years. Their aim is to help, in the widest possible terms vulnerable people with complex problems to live a better life. 

We act like a best friend to them and a bridge over troubled waters. Helping people has been a big aim in my life since I retired, so it was ideal. Not satisfied with being a Trustee. I immediately joined the workers and was out visiting clients. This was quite difficult seeing the mental illness and poverty that is around us in the city. I did this for about two years and decided to take a back seat. Since then I have raised funds, done office work and written applications for grants. Integritas like most charities is always short of money to keep providing a good service and we are currently going through a money crisis. 

Another big part of my life has been ground hopping all over the country with my son Greg for many years. We have had a great time and made many good friends one of them Rob Hornby. He has also been raising money for various charities over a few years now, which is marvellous. I hoped that one yea he would be kind enough to let Integritas and its clients be one of his charities. This season 2015-2016 we were chosen to share with another charity. I started with the formula that I would put 20p in the tin for every goal that I and Greg saw this season. We see 2 games a week and often Greg sees another. It has raised £77 and I would ask other ground hoppers to do this for next seasons Charity Mansfield Scouts. I will put £10 as a start for them. However next season my donations will go to the Charity closest to my heart Integritas.  The money which Rob will donate to Integritas now known as Improving Lives will go towards helping the older people with our Befriending Service.

Without all donators kind help, we would never have reached such a massive amount and Id like to thank everyone one of you and your clubs.