Champ auctions leathers for charity
Big-hearted JT piles in to raise cash for Sheffield kids’ charity
‘We have to give these kids the best chance’
Two-time World Superbike champion, James Toseland has donated two sets of signed racing leathers to The Children’s Hospital Charity, in Sheffield, to help them raise money for a new cancer and leukaemia ward, emergency department and helipad.
The hospital has seen a 35% drop in fundraising during Covid – equating to around £1.3m
– and a delay in the required improvements to the facility. In a bid to turn this around a number of prizes, including the leathers, are either being auctioned or raffled online.
“It’s fundamental that we support the charity and keep it going to its highest capacity to be able to give the kids every chance of recovering,” Toseland told MCN. “We previously auctioned off my MotoGP set from 2008 and my 2003 World Superbike ones that I won my very first race in, raising nearly £3000.” Toseland is an ambassador for the charity and has been leading their annual Easter Egg Run rideout, which usually raises around £5000, for the past 16 years. JT donated the suits after this year’s event had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Going to the highest bidder will be a signed Arlen Ness suit worn by Toseland during the 2006 season in his first year with Ten Kate
Honda. If you envisage the bidding ending up out of your budget, you could bag yourself a signed Axo suit from JT’s 2005 WSB season with Xerox Ducati in the charity raffle. Tickets are £5 each, with the winner drawn on Tuesday, April 6. The auction closes a day earlier, on Monday, April 5.
O To take part in the fun and find out more about the charity, head to https://bit.ly/3rhn3Hf