Residents came together at Hanbury Stadium on Friday 24th July for a fantastic afternoon of football, family fun and fundraising at Haywards Heath Town Council’s Football Fun Day.
The event, held in support of the Mayor’s Charity of the Year, Kangaroos, was a great success, bringing the local community together for an afternoon packed with activities and entertainment for all ages. The event raised over an impressive £1,000 for Kangaroos, helping to support the charity’s work providing activities, opportunities and support for children and adults with learning disabilities.
The afternoon’s main attraction was an exciting 5-a-side football tournament, with seven teams battling it out on the pitch for the trophy. The teams taking part were DJLB Wealth Management, Bolnore FC, Certa CPS, The Fatburn Rovers, Awobabobbob, Retail Madrid and The Councillors. Retail Madrid was entered by The Orchards Shopping Centre, while the Mayor took to the pitch alongside his fellow Councillors and friends. Awobabobbob featured a number of Haywards Heath Town Football Club’s junior players and went on to win the tournament. The event ended on a high with a special exhibition match, giving attendees from Kangaroos the opportunity to take to the pitch against the and join in the fun. They played against the tournament winners, who were also joined by an attendee of Kangaroos and scored both their goals. Kangaroos ultimately won 5-2, bringing the afternoon to a memorable close.
Away from the football, there was plenty for visitors to enjoy, including access to giant inflatables, giant garden games, and plenty of opportunities to win fantastic prizes through the raffle and tombola. Prizes up for grabs included bottles, gift vouchers, memberships and tickets to a range of exciting events taking place across the summer, giving attendees the chance to take home something special while supporting an important charity. Simmos Café kept attendees visitors refreshed with cooling drinks and yummy treats, and Giggle Beats also helped keep the atmosphere lively throughout the afternoon with music and entertainment.
The Mayor of Haywards Heath, Cllr Duncan Pascoe, said: “It was fantastic to see so many people come along and enjoy what was a really fun afternoon. The Football Fun Day was a wonderful opportunity to bring our community together, enjoy some great football and raise money. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the day such a success – I’m delighted that we were able to raise such a fantastic amount for my charity of the year.”
Haywards Heath Town Council would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who supported the day, as well as all the teams, volunteers, partners and businesses who helped make the event possible. Particular thanks go to Haywards Heath Town Football Club for the use of their fantastic facilities and for providing a referee for the tournament games; Giggle Beats for providing fun-filled entertainment and music throughout the day; Co-op for their generous £150 donation towards the event; and to all the businesses and individuals who donated prizes for the raffle and tombola. Without their generosity, it would not have been possible to raise such a fantastic amount for Kangaroos. The success of the day is a wonderful example of the Haywards Heath community coming together to support an important local charity.
To find out more about Kangaroos Mid Sussex and the work they do, please visit their website.
By Kelly Lewis
