Good sports – for good causes
FOOTBALL STAR AND CRICKET CLUB HELPING OUT
ENGLAND football great Kevin Keegan was guest of honour at a charity fund-raiser organised by Leicestershire and Rutland Freemasons.
Nearly 800 freemasons and guests descended on the Leicester Tigers’ stadium for an evening of entertainment and fund-raising compered by 1970s England hockey player and coach Roger Dakin.
Test cricketer Ed Giddins oversaw auctions, with prizes including sporting memorabilia, holidays and event tickets.
Keegan took the audience on a trip down memory lane from a young lad through to the end of his playing career.
The event raised more than £75,000, which is being presented to the Masonic Charitable Foundation to support good causes.
Peter Kinder, head of Leicestershire and Rutland Freemasons, said: “A huge thank you to Kevin, Roger, Ed and the organising team for putting on such a spectacular evening and helping us to achieve our aim of raising £1.8 million for charity before the end of 2022.”
Meanwhile, Leicestershire County Cricket Club has linked up with the Leicester South Foodbank arm of The Trussell Trust for the second time in three years.
The aim of the collaboration is for anyone associated with the Running Foxes to donate food items.
The trust organised for donation baskets to be dropped off at the Uptonsteel County Ground.
Mark Barber, head of community at Leicestershire CCC said: “We have collected donations in the lead up to Christmas for the Trussell Trust since 2017.
“To have Harry Dearden, George Rhodes and Lewis Hill hand over the food to the foodbank was a real eye opener for the club.”
The donation baskets will be available at least until the new year.
Bruce Harrison, from the Trussell Trust, said: “To have the help of Leicestershire County Cricket Club once again will make a huge difference.”