Imerys Football Match Raises £2,100 for Little Harbour Hospice

A community football match in St Blazey has delivered more than goals and tackles. It has handed Little Harbour Children’s Hospice a £2,100 boost.

The annual Imerys Football Match took place earlier this month at St Blazey FC, with 90 minutes of competitive play raising the four-figure sum for the St Austell hospice.

A bigger event this year

This year’s match grew beyond the main fixture. A mini-training session ran before kick-off for the children of Imerys staff, friends and families, with coaches from Plymouth Argyle on hand to share tips with the young players. Every child walked away with an Imerys football and sweets.

Organisers also brought in kids’ entertainer and disco act Amp and Dec, plus face painting from Dainty and Decay, giving families plenty to do alongside the football.

Local businesses chip in

The event leaned heavily on local support. Fluid Branding donated the footballs, Ogy1 supplied pasties for the players, and St Blazey FC offered free use of the ground. Imerys team members Mark Cockayne and Hannah Cutlan handled the organising.

Hannah, the logistics co-ordinator, said the response to last year’s match pushed them to expand the offering.

“The football match last year was incredibly popular with teams massively over-subscribed. So we wanted to make it even bigger this year, with a kids entertainer/disco, ‘Amp and Dec’, face painting from Dainty and Decay, and more ways to raise money for such an amazing cause.”

She added: “Massive thank you to everyone, from our local suppliers to the players, Steve Bendell from Plymouth Argyle and the brilliant kids who showed off their football skills! Everyone had so much fun, let’s see how we can make it bigger next year!”

Little Harbour Children’s Hospice, based in St Austell, supports children with life-limiting conditions and their families across the South West.