SaTH Charity Football Tournament trophies.
The third annual SaTH Charity Football Tournament took place on Sunday 1 June at the Sports Village in Shrewsbury.
The event was a great success with 160 members of NHS staff, from SaTH, Keele University and West Midlands Ambulance, taking part and together they raised nearly £4,600 for the Dementia appeal and the Neonatal Unit of SaTH Charity.
Group picture of the 160 staff taking part in the SaTH Charity Football Tournament
The event was organised by Mark Rawlings, a porter based at RSH. 16 teams took part, and the event was particularly poignant this year as the team from the Urgent Treatment Centre had lost a colleague a month before and honoured her memory with an armband.
The day was filled with lots of fun and support from the players friends and families. There were some gripping times along the way – a halfway line goal by Anna Mophet, Physio, from all women’s team Still Haven’t Jota Clue and multiple draws or last-minute goals – even the final could only be decided by a 4 – 5 difference in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Congratulations to the winning team Drongo’s United and the runners up SaTHletico Madrid. The winner of the runners up SaTH Charity cup was Fantasy First Responders, made up of West Midlands Ambulance Service.
Team from West Midlands Ambulance with the Runners Up Cup
The money raised from the day will enable the dementia team to purchase single use items including reminiscence dolls, nostalgic items and activities for patients living with dementia. It will also enable the Neonatal Unit to purchase information boards to support parents of neonatal babies.
Karen Breese, Dementia Care Clinical Specialist, said: “A massive thanks goes to Mark and the players for choosing the dementia care appeal. We use lots of single use items to support our patients like reminiscence dolls and teddies, the money raised will make a real difference to our patients and enable us to provide more support.”
Jo Demers, Neonatal Matron, said: “We are grateful to have been selected as one of the funds to benefit from the money raised by the SaTH Chairty Annual Football Tournament. We know our young patients and their families will benefit from the money raised, we are always striving to improve their experience during their time on the unit.”
Winners of the tournament Drongos United.
Julia Clarke, Director of Public Participation, said: “It was another amazing tournament and great that staff can come together to support such a great cause. We know the hospital treats lots of patients who are living with dementia and bringing them comfort in such an unfamiliar environment improves their experience. We also understand the value of improving areas for the loved ones of our youngest patients in the Neonatal Unit. Some of our babies are with us for a while and the families end up seeing the unit as a second home, so the money will be used to provide comfort to the families during what can be a challenging period.”