A FOOTBALL match has raised more than £2,500 after an Alvechurch charity went head-to-head with Birmingham City Football Club’s All Stars.
The event, which was held at Redditch United FC on April 3, honoured the memory of a baby girl who passed away just hours after she was born prematurely at the town’s Alexandra Hospital.
Little Ava Helene Atkinson blessed her family with her presence on May 26, 2014 but sadly passed away peacefully surrounded by her family, except for her daddy, Richard, who was flying back into the country and in touch only by phone.
But even though Richard did not get the chance to say hello or goodbye to his daughter he was able to seek comfort from a keepsake box the family were given at the hospital.
In it is kept treasured memories of Ava which the family can look at whenever they want.
As a result of this sense of comfort, the family decided to make and supply such boxes to as many hospitals as possible in the UK through Baby Ava’s Support Foundation and make them free of charge.
So although ‘Ava’s Angels’ suffered a 6 – 2 defeat to the All Stars, the charity is over the moon to have raised further funds and to make another 60 memory boxes which will go on to help grieving families.
Richard extends his thanks to everyone who attended in the event, especially the mascots, and hopes to make the match an annual fixture.
Next on the agenda is a gruelling 1,200 mile bike ride to Redditch from Benidorm over the course of just 11 days.
The fund-raiser has already raised £4,329.28 of its £5,000 target and will see Richard and friends cycle from Benidorm to the Alexandra Hospital.
Visit http://tinyurl.com/z6ccstk for more information on the event, http://www.babyavasfoundation.org/ for details on the charity and http://tinyurl.com/jakl9ew to support the cause.
