Cambridge United players hand over Kershaw Group cash & shirts to hospice children

Youngsters at the EACH hospice in Milton have accepted a big charity donation from Cambridge United sponsors Kershaw Group, including T R Freeman.

£3,300 was raised by the group’s 85 office staff – making it the biggest donation in eight years supporting the hospice.

And to celebrate, the money was handed over by Cambridge United players, along with some Kershaw-sponsored football shirts for the youngsters.

It’s the eighth year running that Kershaw Group has raised money for the hospice. The total amount raised by staff is now more than £18,000.

The money will be used to help with the costs of running three hospice services for children suffering from life threatening illnesses.

Ian Greenstock is the sales director of Kershaw Group.

He said: “For eight years now our staff have told us they want to continue to support EACH, so every year we run a series of fundraising events especially for them.

“In total over eight years we have donated more than £18,000. It makes us feel very proud to have raised this amount.

“As a main shirt sponsor of Cambridge United, we’re also proud to have brought some of the players over to the hospice to meet some of the children and give them Kershaw-sponsored football shirts.”

Ian added: “EACH does a great job, and together with Cambridge United, this is our way of saying ‘thank you’.”

Staff across the group’s depots raised the money with a series of fundraising events.

The money and shirts were handed over to children attending a sibling support group at the hospice.

This is an activity scheme arranged for youngsters whose brothers and sisters are cared for by the hospice care team.

Kershaw Group has its head office in Cambridge, and can track parts of its history back to 1887.

Local divisions include metal roofing and cladding firm T R Freeman, and mechanical services company Kershaw Mechanical Services.

The group is always heavily involved in the local community. Last year it agreed a record 9th and 10th years as the away shirt sponsor of Cambridge United.

One of its companies, Kershaw Mechanical Services, has been sponsoring the Cambridgeshire Football Association Premier Leagues for 21 years – thought to be the longest continuous sponsorship in football.

Several of its staff play in the leagues, known locally as the “Kershaw Leagues”.

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) runs three hospice services, based in Cambridge, Ipswich and Quidenham (Norfolk).

It relies on voluntary donations for the majority of its income.