Sunday Sun

Tyne-Wear derby nets cash to boost charities

COMMUNITY RALLIES TO BACK FUND-RAISER

- By Sean Seddon Reporter sean.seddon@trinitymir­ror.com

A Tyne-Wear derby with a difference has shown once again that cancer has no colours.

Two teams, a Newcastle XI and a Sunderland XI, went head to head yesterday afternoon to raise money for the children’s cancer ward at the RVI.

Held at Fiddler’s Field in Gateshead, the charity match has become a regular fixture and attracts scores of people.

The event was organised by Chris Quigley, 32, of Leam Lane, who has a very personal experience of the disease.

He said: “When I was 15 I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, lymphoma, and spent more than a year living on hospital wards.

“I’ve been running this event for six years and others like it for longer and have raised over £25,000 so far to put towards cancer charities and care providers.

“It’s just about giving as much as I can back.

“Today’s all about creating a local community event but there are people here who have come from all over.”

The event was organised with the help of David Chaters and Rachel Cook, whose employer, Barclays, has offered to match the total raised at the event.

A rough totting up on the day suggested they had smashed their target of raising £1000.

On the pitch, it was a rather onesided affair.

The Newcastle team and Sunderland team, managed by Stephen Walker and Stephen Barnes respective­ly, slogged it out for 90 minutes, with Newcastle racking up 12 goals to Sunderland’s nil.

Away from the footy, there was music, food and kids’ activities hosted at the Fiddler’s Three pub.

For landlady Joan Coote, 58, the fight against cancer is very much at the forefront of her mind.

She said: “I was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2016, 14 years after my first bout with the disease in 2002.

“I had my last round of radiothera­py last week and things are on the up.

“But seeing all these people coming out to support the cause like this just reminds me how much everybody cares.

“Every family has been touched by cancer in one way or another, so it’s lovely to see people get involved like this.”

She said that the pub would continue to host the event and it’s expected to be back next year.

 ??  ?? The Newcastle United and Sunderland teams which took part in the charity match in High Heworth yesterday
The Newcastle United and Sunderland teams which took part in the charity match in High Heworth yesterday
 ?? DAVE CHARLTON ??
DAVE CHARLTON
 ?? DAVE CHARLTON ?? Charity match at Fiddler’s Field in Gateshead
DAVE CHARLTON Charity match at Fiddler’s Field in Gateshead
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