Broseley businesses in Heart Foundation football match
When a team of Telford soccer veterans take to the pitch for a friendly against a visiting side from Bolton to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation, the opportunity will be supported by a local estate agent.
For a £180 donation from Patrick Smitheman, Managing Director of Harwood The Estate Agent, Broseley, will enable the fundraising football match to take place on one of the coveted pitches at the Lilleshall National Sports Centre.
The opportunity to stage the fundraising friendly on a well-cared for pitch which will be unaffected by rain is greatly appreciated by organiser Neil Phillips who is a British Heart Foundation campaigner enthusiastic about fundraising for children who have suffered heart attacks whilst playing sport.
A football friend of Neil’s aged 49 who was training at the gym for a triathlon suffered a heart attack and survived due to the prompt attention of an off-duty doctor and trained staff who saved his life by using a vital life-saving defibrillator.
“He was also a footballer and I have organised quite a few friendly matches in support of the British Heart Foundation which now Patrick has also warmly embraced. His donation is paying for a pitch which despite recent heavy rain will enable the sponsorship friendly to go ahead later this month.
“I have organised many friendly football matches in support of various fundraisers and charities including this one for a campaign the BHF have been recently running.
“I have known Patrick since schooldays and we are close business neighbours in Broseley, Patrick running the estate agency and me Magpies Clearances.”
Said Patrick: “Neil is a great guy who spends so much of his time working with charities and helping people who need that helping hand – I felt this was the least I could do.
“I hope the weather holds out for them and they get loads of people there cheering them on and sticking what they can afford in the bucket to help this wonderful cause.”
