Furrows celebrate youth football whilst supporting major fundraising initiative

The Shropshire Football Association and local car dealership Furrows are joining forces to celebrate youth football in May whilst supporting a major fundraising initiative for the British Heart Foundation.

The upcoming Shropshire FA County Cup Finals on Saturday, May 10th at AFC
Telford will showcase the county's top young talent while raising vital funds for heart health research and equipment - a cause deeply personal to the organisation following the loss of former Chief Executive Mick Murphy to a cardiac arrest last April.

Players from Allscott Heath U15 Girls visited Furrows in Telford this week, meeting the British Heart Foundation's mascot "Hearty" ahead of their Challenge Cup Final against Prees Lightning Girls, which kicks off at 10am on finals day.

Andy Weston, Shropshire FA's Chief Executive, explained: "This cause is close to us as we lost our friend and colleague Mick Murphy to a cardiac arrest while on Shropshire FA business at St George's Park. We wanted to do something that provided a legacy and had an impact on the game and people's lives, like Mick did every day."

The association has set an ambitious target of raising £10,000 for the British Heart Foundation over the next two years, with plans to train staff and members in CPR and support the installation of portable defibrillators across county clubs. The initiative follows a recent incident where a 13-year-old went into cardiac arrest during a match with no defibrillator present.

Furrows, a family-owned business with deep Shropshire roots dating back to 1918, became the official sponsor of the Shropshire FA Girls' League in autumn 2024. The dealership, with locations in Telford, Shrewsbury, and Oswestry, is championing the growth of girls' football throughout the region.

"The development of girls' football across Shropshire is something we're thrilled to be part of," said Antony Frost, Director at Furrows.

"As a local business, it's about more than just sponsorship — it's about showing these
players that we believe in them. We're proud to support their journey and can't wait for what promises to be an unforgettable day."

Zoe Roberts from the British Heart Foundation added: "We are honoured to have
been chosen by Shropshire FA. It is only thanks to the generous support of organisations like Shropshire FA that we can keep research going and discover the treatments and cures of the future."

The County Cup finals day will feature multiple matches and community-led fundraising activities, reflecting Shropshire FA's goal of raising £120 per club to represent the 120 people who die each month from heart and circulatory diseases in Shropshire.