The Isle of Wight NHS Trust Charity Football Team will take on the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service in a special charity football match in aid of The Wight Brainy Bunch on Sunday 27th October.
Wight Brainy Bunch was set up in 2015 after Mark Grimes, a serving firefighter at Ryde, was diagnosed with a brain tumour and found there was little or no support for families on the Island. Roll forward 4 years and Mark has recently undergone his second 6-hour awake brain surgery and has in the past few days finished an intensive course of radiotherapy.
Mark’s fire service colleagues are keen to support his charity and didn’t hesitate in agreeing when the match was proposed.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust Charity Football Team was formed to play its first match against the Prison Service to help raise funds for a prison officer with motor neurone disease. This was shortly followed by a match against SANDS, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity. This will be their third match to raise funds for local charities.
Paul Hemmett, who set up the charity football team said:
“When we set up the Isle of Wight NHS Football team, we wanted to be able to support charities by raising awareness and vital funds for them to continue their work. Having been approached by a member of our team, who has a family tie to such an amazing local charity, we very quickly looked at how we could help, and the plan for this game started.
“We look forward to playing what I am told is a very strong team, and hope the support enables The Wight Brainy Bunch to continue their valuable work for our local community. We look forward to welcoming you all to East Cowes Vics on 27th October.”
Mark Augustus, who is running the IW Fire and Rescue side, said:
“We are really proud to support the NHS with this charity event. Mark is a close friend and colleague to a lot of us in the fire service and his and Kat’s dedication to the Wight Brainy Bunch has helped to support a lot of families across the island.
“I am sure it will be a very competitive game and a memorable afternoon. We welcome as many people as possible there to support this amazing charity.”
The match takes place at East Cowes Vics on Sunday 27th October with a 13:00 kick-off. Entry £3, Under 16s £1.
Alongside the football there will be face painting for children, a pumpkin carving competition, half time penalty shoot-out for children, a huge raffle, food and drinks and of course information about the charity itself.
