Football Youths help raise money by having fun

CRAWLEY UNITED YOUTH FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

On Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th June, GSK, Manor Royal, Crawley hosted the annual Crawley United Youth Football Festival.

With plenty for everyone including a BBQ, face painting, tattoos, Ice Creams, tuck shop, penalty shoot out competition and plenty of youngsters enjoying the nations favourite game the day was a great success. With a raffle sporting excellent prizes such as, Signed Manchester United and Chelsea shirts, Mens & Ladies Aviator Watches, Round of Golf at, Holtye Golf Club, Laser Hub vouchers, Photofairytales vouchers. The Freddie McGuire Charitable Trust was this years chosen charity.

Crawley Happy Times were invited down by Charlotte Hoffman and we would like to thank Charlotte and everyone involved for putting on such a splendid event.

The Freddie McGuire Charitable Trust (Reg Charity number 1099435)

This year Crawley United FC are proud to support The Freddie McGuire Charitable Trust by donating the proceeds of this years tournament raffle. Freddie Henri Lloyd McGuire was born at Epsom hospital on 5^th April 1999 – he tragically died at East Surrey Hospital on June 18^th 2000, the day after being involved in an accident at home.

The fund was set up by Freddies relatives to increase awareness of potential accidents around the home, to help family members cope with tragic loss of children, to provide funds for children’s hospitals, emergency paediatric retrieval units, and paediatric intensive care units.

Since the Trust was founded over £50,000 has been raised in donations, mainly through the generosity sponsorship of sporting events in which the family have participated.

This money has been donated to several excellent causes, mainly to the Paediatric Intensive Care Units for their Emergency Retrieval Teams. These teams are linked to specialist children’s hospitals, and run emergency services for those children affected by serious trauma, accidents etc. Each unit has a specialist ambulance which requires expensive equipment for safe and effective treatment of children at the place of the trauma, and for the safe and quick transfer of these children to the nearest children’s emergency unit.

Funds tend to be directed to those units that are seriously under funded, and are donated direct to these units. No funds are used for administration at all, and therefore all money donated is fully utilised.

Examples of equipment purchased are:

£8,850 for new emergency resus trolley for Oxford Ratcliffe Hospital Emergency Trust.
£7,891 for new assessment monitor for Sheffield Children’s NHS Trust Retrival Unit.
£19,933 for South Manchester University Hospitals for Infant Flow Package, Phototherapy equipment, Billiblankets, electric warmer cots and lids.
£500 for new trolleys at the PICU unit Bristol Hospital.
£11,704 For Oxylog 3000 ventilator for University Hospital of Leicester.
£7,200 for Syringe pumps for Leeds NHS Trust Children’s PICU unit.
£3,000 for syringe pumps at Alder Hey.

The Trustees have also contacted several Accident Prevention charities such as the Child Accident Prevention Trust, to raise awareness and PREVENT these type of accidents from happening. This led to specific safety advice in the CAPT produced pamphlet in 2002 regarding safety around the car.

However, the Trustees regret not being able to raise awareness further in this regard, and it is sad to report that some children are still dying or becoming seriously injured in this tragic way each year. It is not possible to know how many lives have been saved as a result of the Trust’s actions. However, by simply buying a raffle ticket at the tournament you have ensured that their actions can be continued.

We are delighted to say that Crawley United had managed to secure some fantastic prizes this year. First prize being a signed Manchester United Football, and many other quality prizes were available.

On behalf of the Trustees, Crawley United would like to take this opportunity of thanking you for supporting their cause.