Young footballers team up to help hospital (From Bicester Advertiser)

Young footballers team up to help hospital

5:00pm Wednesday 18th July 2012 in News By Fran Bardsley, covering Education, East Oxford and Cowley. Call me on 01865 425439

FOOTBALL teams from across Oxfordshire came together for a tournament to raise money for Oxford Children’s Hospital.

Play2Give was organised by Andrew Baker, 23, of Didcot, who had a life-threatening brain tumour removed at the John Radcliffe Hospital when he was 12.

On Sunday, 16 boys’ teams took part in the event on the new pitches at Oxford City Football Club, in Marsh Lane, Marston.

Their ranks included many families who had personally experienced the work of the hospital.

Dale Harris, who helped organise the event, has a 10-year-old daughter, Mya, with spina bifida, who is a patient at the hospital.

And the manager of one of the participating teams has a son who was treated there as a baby.

As well as football, there was face-painting, a bouncy castle, a coconut shy, a raffle and a silent auction.

The event was backed by Oxford United, which ran a penalty shootout challenge, while first- team players made appearances throughout the day to present medals to the winning children.

Among those taking part was Didcot Town Youth’s Lewis McKirnan, eight, from East Hagbourne, playing with the team for his second season. His side won all five of their matches, with the midfield striker scoring six of the team’s goals.

Mum Jackie McKirnan said: “It went very well, the whole team really enjoyed it. “I was definitely proud of him for doing it for the charity and he did really enjoy it. It was very well run and there was a great atmosphere.”

It is the fourth time Play2Give has taken place Teams paid £35 to enter and children taking part were also asked to try to raise sponsorship for the cause.

Mr Baker expects the event will have raised thousands of pounds.