Posted on 24th Aug
TV soap stars took to the football pitch at Forest Town Arena for the annual Frenbot match – and helped to raise around £8,000 for charities.
Organiser Craig French said each year the event was getting better, adding: “We started this event five years ago and it has come such a long way.”
Charities to benefit from the fundraising afternoon — which also included a major raffle backed with prizes by many local businesss, and a mini fun fair — included the King’s Mill Toy Appeal, which puts a smile of the faces of poorly children on ward 25 at the hospital at Christmas; the Royal British Legion; Prostate Cancer UK; and Once Upon A Smile.
Once Upon A Smile was co-founded by Danny Miller, better known as Aaron Sugden-Dingle from television soap Emmerdale, and the charity took along stars such as Ben Ryan-Davies (Waterloo Road, Hollyoaks), Joe Warren-Plant (Emmerdale) and Jay Kontzle (Emmerdale).
The charity side won the match 1-0. It began with former Mansfield Town star Sandy Pate and local boxing legend Steve Ward, the world’s oldest professional boxer, carrying out the trophy, who were thanked by Craig.
He said next year the match would also raise money for men’s mental health charities.
Craig thanked businesses for their support and everyone who turned up to watch the match, which included local people as well as many from further afield.
