MORE than £2,500 has been raised for Bowel Cancer Research after two football clubs came together in a benefit match for a Redditch man diagnosed with the illness.
George Hands was just 25 when, after initially thinking he had Irritable Bowel Syndrome it was discovered he had bowel cancer – a condition which kills more than 15,000 people-a-year in the UK.
The fundraiser, organised by Neil Seager and Jon Hunt, was held on Saturday at Redditch United’s Trico Stadium, and included a raffle, auction bottles and a ‘closest to the bottle challenge’ raising £2,560 in total.
#TeamGeorge was made up of George’s former under-16s team, Headless Cross, reunited after 10 years to play SCC Redolence FC, a Redditch Sunday league outfit.
The game was an end-to-end affair with both teams giving it their all for George.
However Joe Shaw proved unstoppable as he bagged a hat-trick to propel his side into a 3-1 lead. Despite a late goal from SCC Redolence, the hosts held on to win 3-2.
George said: “Well done to everyone; an incredible amount of money was raised and am I am truly thankful to everybody who contributed.
“I had an amazing night after a very tough few months, and watching everyone come together and play was incredible. It put a smile on my face and I would like to say thank you to everybody involved.”
Redditch United community manager, Ryan Kettle, who was a teammate of George at Headless Cross, and who also played said: “George means a lot to all of us; he is an amazing person and his fight is inspirational, we felt it was important to do something for him.
“We would like to thank everybody who turned up and showed their support for both George and Bowel Cancer Research UK.”
Donations to Bowel Cancer Research can be made online at https://www.bowelcancerresearch.org/Appeal/donate.
