Football match helps Bedford business raise thousands for Sue Ryder

A group of kind-hearted colleagues from a Bedford-based company have hosted their first football fundraiser for Sue Ryder as part of a year-long pledge to support the charity.

The football match held at Norwich City Football Club was the start of a series of events Green Light Consultancy are planning in aid of national healthcare charity, Sue Ryder, which runs Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger.

“We are delighted with the money raised at our inaugural charity football match,” said Alistair McDougall, director at Green Light Consultancy. “We set ourselves a target of £2,000 over the whole year, but we have already smashed that raising £2,137 thanks to the generous support of our community. We now plan to run the event annually.”

The eight-strong team from Green Light Consultancy chose to support Sue Ryder after experiencing first-hand the expert and compassionate palliative care the charity provides.

“Sue Ryder is an amazing charity that helps people through the most difficult times of their lives. My family and I, and some of my co-workers, have seen how incredible the team at the Sue Ryder Hospice in Moggerhanger have supported loved ones and friends. This made it an easy choice to lend our support to the charity,” added Alistair.

As part of the fundraising feats, the consultancy team has also signed up to take part in Sue Ryder’s first-ever Bedford Dragon Boat Festival on Sunday, June 25.

Alistair said: “Our charity football match was a true team effort with everyone taking on a role, so we thought what better way to continue our support for Sue Ryder than with an event that promotes plenty of team spirit.

“We have lots more fundraising ideas for the year ahead and are committed to raising as much money as we can. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far.”

Alistair has also made a personal pledge to support Sue Ryder and earlier this year completed the Hydrox London, an epic two-day fitness event, raising just over £500 for the charity. He has now signed up to the London Marathon 2024 alongside his wife, Cath. Together the pair are planning several fundraising events, including quizzes and curry nights, to help them reach their £5,000 target.

Nick Burr, senior community fundraiser at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, said: “We’re so grateful to the team at Green Light Consultancy for choosing to raise vital funds to support our care. The money raised over the course of the twelve months are vital in helping us to be there for people at the most difficult times of their lives – and partnerships such as this make that possible.”

There is still time to join Green Light Consultancy at this year’s Bedford Dragon Boat Festival. Find out more and sign up here.

You can donate to Alistair and Cath’s London Marathon fundraising page here.