AS THE WORLD watches football on the biggest stage, two retail giants are getting ready for a big match of their own to raise funds for hospice care.
On Sunday, July 26, supermarket staff from Tesco and Morrisons in Evesham will step onto the pitch for their annual charity match in support of St Richard’s Hospice.
Now in its 28th year, the Retail Challenge Cup brings friendly rivalry and community spirit to Evesham United Football Club’s Jubilee Stadium.
Event organiser, Mark Payne, has worked for Tesco for 30 years and said: “The match is in memory of my mum Gill, who passed away in December 1997 from breast cancer, aged 54.
“She was cared for by the nurses at St Richard’s Hospice, so I decided to start the Retail Challenge Cup the following year in 1998.
“And here we are, still going 28 years later, and we’ve raised over £30,000 for St Richard’s so far.”
Kick-off is at 5pm with admission on the door at £3 for adults and £2 for children under 16.
Every penny raised helps provide free hospice care for people in the community.
St Richard’s Hospice is an independent charity offering free, expert care for adults with an illness that cannot be cured, and support for their loved ones and carers.
Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,000 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.
It will cost in the region of £12m to run the hospice this year, which includes patient care and all the necessary support services.
St Richard’s relies on voluntary support, including from donations, gifts in Wills, retail and events for the majority of its income with the remainder funded by the NHS.
See www.strichards.org.uk for more information about St Richard’s Hospice.
