Fund-raising football match News aims to net money needed to keep family of stricken Josh by his New Zealand bedside
CALL FOR PLAYERS TO TAKE PART IN SEPTEMBER 19 GAME
FRIENDS of a Spondon man who is slowly recovering from life-threatening injuries in a New Zealand hospital after an alleged assault are holding a fundraising football event to raise cash to allow his family to remain by his bedside.
It will take place later this month and 44 players, paying £10 a head, are needed to play the 90-minute game with 11 a side for each half to boost funding for Josh Storer and his family.
Josh, 25, was injured in an incident at The Albany bar and restaurant in Auckland on July 9 and kept in an induced coma for three weeks following extensive brain surgery.
The New Zealand authorities granted a border exemption which allowed his parents, Ian and Dawn Storer, and sister, Sian, to enter the country to see him, although they had to quarantine for two weeks beforehand.
They finally reached his bedside in time to see him smile after waking from the coma in intensive care.
It had been three years since Ian and Dawn last saw their son in person because the coronavirus pandemic prevented them from meeting up as planned earlier last year.
Just over £11,300 has been raised on a GoFundMe page – “Help the Storer family get to Josh” – set up by a friend of the family and more money has been raised by friends in New Zealand towards the cost of flying and staying in the country.
Coral Fearn is one of the people involved in organising the football match at the Borrowash Victoria AFC ground on September 19, from 10am. The others are Kane Jordan and Jade Martin.
She said: “As many of you are aware, the financial costing of Josh’s incident has been very stressful.
“The family are incredibly thankful to everyone who has donated already and just wanted to let you know where the money that has been raised has gone.
“Just over £8,000 for mandatory isolation for 14 days upon arriving in New Zealand and £6,000 for three one-way tickets to get to Josh.
“The family aim to be with Josh as long as it is financially possible.
“They have had the loss of Dawn’s salary as she’s self-employed, Ian and Sian’s employers have supported them and helped them a lot, however this can only be for so long.
“They are having to keep on top of their bills at home in order to keep
their house and cars, they are also paying to live out in New Zealand whilst they are there.”
Carol added that Josh’s main worry and concern is his family will not be by his side when he is able to leave the rehabilitation centre.
She said: “Dawn, Ian and Sian have stressed to him that they will be with him for as long as they can and will support him no matter where they are.
“So any money raised from this football fundraiser will be used to help support Josh and his family whilst they have a loss/reduction in wages, to keep them in New Zealand to be with Josh and help with his recovery.
“The funds will also go toward flights home when the time is right.”
Sister Sian said she is extremely grateful to everyone for helping to raise money so far.
She said: “Josh is in a rehabilitation centre and he’s making us all extremely proud. He’s doing his therapy/physio and is trying his best to eat again. He’s still got the feeding tube in until he can comfortably eat and drink consistently.
“He has a long way to go but is on the path to recovery. He did have post traumatic amnesia but it seems he’s coming through the worst of that now.”
Since Josh’s mum and dad saw him, large parts of New Zealand, including Auckland, have gone into lockdown because of increased Covid cases, preventing Josh from having any visitors.
Sian said: “The Auckland lockdown looks like it’s going to remain in place for at least another week (possibly for a further two weeks but not confirmed) which is really frustrating for all of us, especially Josh, as he’s desperate to see us. We do have scheduled zoom calls with him during the day so he can talk to us but its not the same as face-to-face contact we are all craving.”
Sian has not actually seen Josh face-to-face yet because she was due to leave quarantine on August 21 and the lockdown was imposed four days earlier.
She added: “I arrived in New Zealand after my parents. It’s been torture, I’m desperate to see him and he is so down without visitors.
“I hope the lockdown doesn’t go on much longer as I want to see him before I have to come back to the UK.
“My employer is paying me for now but it won’t last long term, I’d have to go on a career break with no pay from mid October.”
Josh went to New Zealand three years ago on a work visa and has been working for a drainage company during that time.
Prior to that, Josh was a plumber in the UK, after completing his education at West Park School in Spondon. A 56-year-old man has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He originally appeared at North Shore District Court on July 15 and will next appear on September 14. Anyone wanting to take part in the charity football match should bring along shorts, socks, boots and shin pads and also let the organisers know via the Facebook site that has been set up. New Zealand’s border restrictions are in place for all travellers, bar New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, those travelling from a quarantine-free location or people who had been granted a border exception.
Any money raised will be used to help support Josh and his family whilst they have a loss/reduction in wages. Carol Fearn