Testimonials
Since beginning his fundraising crusade at the tender age of 14 in 2003, Andrew has gained a great number of supporters, and huge admiration from everyone who knows him. Here are just some of the many testimonials reflecting on the good work that Andrew does:
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"I am lost in admiration for remarkable people like yourself who freely give up your time to improve the lives of others. I know you do this with no thought of praise or reward, but allow me to offer my own recognition of how your fundraising over the past 17 years, in tribute to the treatment you received as a child born with a brain injury, has transformed services at Oxford Children's Hospital and supported causes throughout the county. Your service exemplifies the great British spirit of generosity and philanthrophy which brings out the best in us all. On behalf of the whole country, thank you!" - Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, Prime Minister (Jan 2020)
"ANDY..... the most kindest, loyal, honest, energetic, committed, brave superman!! His dedication to his charity work never ceases to amaze me, his brain injury never slowing down his drive and determination to continue raising funds for many worthy causes. His recently acquired MBE speaks volumes to Andy's commitment and ongoing fundraising. He will NEVER stop, this is his life, to make others lives that little bit more bearable. My admiration for Andy is second to none, he really is the people's Super Hero." - Jackie Billington, Volunteer & former Mayor of Didcot
"Full of energy Andrew's commitment and dedication to raise funds for Play2Give, his Charity, work that has seen him being honoured with an MBE. I met Andrew for the first time during an event he organised in Didcot at the end of 2020, he is a noble person who is supportive of others in the community. Driving Miss Daisy Didcot and I are proud to be associated with Andrew and Play2Give who is an inspiration and has proven record of his ability to raise funds. Andrew's professionalism and dedication has enabled Play2Give to become the success." - Zororo Mubaya, Managing Director, Driving Miss Daisy Didcot
"There are a very special group of people who have been raising money for the Oxford Children's Hospital since it was first thought of, and Andrew Baker is one of them.
"After suffering a brain injury at birth, Andrew had been in and out of hospital and wanted to show his appreciation to the brilliant staff that work at the John Radcliffe Hospital. In 2003, aged just 14, he decided to support the fundraising appeal for the Children's Hospital as a way of saying thank you for the amazing care he had received. Since then he, alongside the amazing Play2Give team, has raised over £60,000 to benefit both the young patients, their families and the incredible staff at the Oxford Children's Hospital. "From early fundraising endeavours at St Birinus School where Andrew was a pupil, Andrew then set up Play2Give with his friends in 2007. A fundraising organisation set up to support local causes, Play2Give organise a whole host of events from sports days to fun fairs, and Superhero Walks to football tournaments, the Play2Give team give their time, energy and ideas in spades. "Andrew never fails to inspire us with his dedication and enthusiasm. His fundraising passion is a direct result of the excellent care he received in our hospitals which is a true testament to the amazing staff that work here. We feel so privileged that Play2Give have continued to raise money for the Children’s Hospital for over a decade, raising truly phenomenal sums. Their support, and the support of the community around them has helped improve facilities, provide state-of-the-art equipment and given patients and staff across the Children’s Hospital the best possible experience. "As a small token of the hospital's appreciation for all their fundraising efforts, a room on the Melanie's teenage ward was named after Play2Give and formally unveiled in 2017. "In addition to all their fundraising events, the Play2Give team also organise Sleigh2Give every year, collecting toys from the local community to donate to the Children’s Hospital. It is impossible to put an exact figure on the equivalent value of all these toys, but the Play2Give team estimate it is in the region of £70,000!" - Eleanor Jones, Oxford Hospitals Charity" "Andy set up & leads a local charity. He is an inspiring community leader & delivers an engaging assembly to our children each year to raise awareness of social responsibility. A great local Oxfordshire charity to support." - Hannah Wilson, former Headteacher of Aureus School
"Great guy with the best of intentions. Runs a fantastic charity helping children who deserve help." - Daniel Greenall, Owner of Oxford Vapours Ltd
"Andy is an amazing fundraiser with lots of fantastic work and ideas coming through. I'm very much looking forward to working with Andy and his team more closely in 2019 and beyond." - Jordan Sharp, Partyman World Oxford
"Andrew is an inspiring individual that has an admiring drive within. We first crossed paths at the British Citizen Awards in London and I was thrilled to have met such a motivational individual. Andrews personal achievements and accolades are nothing short of amazing and since meeting some of the other BCA holders I can definately say he is one of the most down to earth, humble people there is!" - Torron-Lee Dewar BCAa, Founder of Alliance Arts
"Andy and the team at Play2Give have fundraised several thousands of pounds for Headway Oxfordshire, of which we are incredibly grateful for his support! Andy is a pleasure to work with, highly creative in his fundraising ideas and commendable for the work he does for charities across Oxfordshire" - Sharelle Holdsworth, Headway Oxfordshire
"Andy is a true local hero. He is completely committed to his fund raising efforts and raising awareness for other charities. He is very helpful and resourceful and always thinking outside the box!" - Joshua Cox, Prystine Web Solutions
"Andrew is an absolute joy to be around and is a credit to our community. His heart is in the right place and he's always willing to help everyone. He does amazing things for charity, and he makes the world a better place." - Brianna Elsley, Social Media specialist
"The founder of play 2 give is amazing and has touched me by what him and his team does for the children's hospital at the JR especially Melanie's ward where I had 4 surgery's this charity is close to my heart. Massive respect to everyone involved in this charity" - Harvey-Thomas Keegan, Abingdon
"Andy is a motivated and committed fundraiser. The contribution he and this charity makes for the local community is invaluable and very much appreciated." - Jenny Wright, Didcot
"Motivational, inspiring and incredible young man doing amazing things for charity! Keep up the amazing work xxx" - Leanne Goodall, Didcot and supporter
"Awards such as that of the Haines Watts Young Entrepreneur of the Year are much-deserved recognition for all the hard work that Andrew and his team tirelessly and enthusiastically put in. Andrew is a real powerhouse in getting things done - his energy is amazing. Play2Give has a great social media presence too!" - Simon Garrett, Haines Watts Oxford
"Andrew works tirelessly through various fundraising events to help provide publicity and awareness to the public on a variety of issues as well as supporting local charities with continued generous donations. His kind spirit is carried by his amazing personality and his spark for creativity and new ideas. Andrew can be very proud of what he has managed to achieve as we all are. I am sure he will continue to achieve alot more in the future." - Natalie Bright, Creative Haus
"Andrew is a positive role model and an inspiration to others - committing time and energy to run events and help charities." - Paul Mabbutt, MD, Jennings
"Andrew is an inspiration in what he does at Play2Give. He works tirelessly and people have great respect for him and the Play2Give organisation." - Kelvin Thomas, Former Oxford United Chairman
"Andrew is a valued member of the charitable community and always has a positive outlook. Play2Give has been a major part of his life since 2007 and has been a great success and raised a considerable amount of money for a such a worthy cause. I would highly recommend him for anything that involves planning, organisation, events and charities etc.. He is a reliable, honest and down to earth person which is hard to come by these days." - Jamie Brown, Branch Manager, Pertemps Didcot
"I have worked with Andrew over many years and he is a real inspiration to me. He is tireless in his approach to raise funds for charities close to his heart. He is a genuinely nice person with a huge heart. He puts everything into every event or project he manages and never gives up." - Teresa Strike, friend and former P2G volunteer
"Andrew's enthusiasm and drive knows no bounds. His positive attitude and good nature has seen him achieve great success, often against the odds. He is a man of great integrity and has great fundraising ideas." - Wesley Smith, TV and Radio freelance presenter
"Andrew's charity work across Oxfordshire has been humbling to watch. He has worked with integrity and determination, and this has been recognized at many levels over the years." - Jo Thoenes, Oxfordshire radio personality
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"As a proud patron of Play2Give I see up close the fantastic work he does for the community - and he started at the tender age of 14. He's now raised over £250,000, which is more than most of us will do in a lifetime. A local hero" - David Johnston OBE, MP for Wantage and Didcot
"Andrew is the most remarkable person I know. We connected when we were both nominated for a Pride of Britain award and supported each other through the selection process. His powers of motivation are second to none and his passion for helping people shines through - the recognition he has received is utterly deserved and I'm very proud to call him my friend." - David Williamson, ITV Meridian Fundraiser of the Year Finalist 2019
"I have worked with Andy for the last year but he has been a long time supporter of Be Free Young Carers (BFYC). Every year he helps BFYC with Play2Gives Sleigh2Give toy collection in the community, which we then distribute to our young carers and their families. He is a huge community supporter of not just our charity but other charities across Oxfordshire. He is a very much valued member of the community and well known fundraiser throughout Oxfordshire." - Sabiene North, Fundraising and Events Coordinator, Be Free Young Carers
"I have only known Andrew personally for a short time but I have been aware of his brilliant work and charity for quite a few years now. At Sobell House we have benefited recently from two generous donations from Play 2 Give. Andrew is one of those special people who has had challenges in his own life but has used those challenges and his life experiences to help others. And thats why he is very special. It is a pleasure to write a recommendation for Andrew and I wish him well for the fantastic work he is yet to do. If you can support him in any way I ask yo to do so." - Tim Wraith, Corporate Partnerships, Sobell House Hospice
"Andrew Baker is a remarkable person. After recovering from a brain injury, he made the decision to raise funds to support the work of those who had treated him. He did this as a relatively young person - while still a student at St Birinus School - and his enthusiasm, determination and drive to do something for others have never diminished. He founded the charity Play2Give and the rest is history.
"Andrew is a regular visitor to our school and is a wonderful role model for our students. He talks in assemblies, meets with groups of students and supports a whole range of school events. In some ways this is a microcosm of his role within the local community of Didcot. Someone recently said to me that Andrew is “Mr Didcot” and it is difficult to argue with this. If it is the case then this means that Didcot is a selfless, caring place in which people look out for and support each other with the challenges they encounter. This seems to me to be a fitting tribute to what Andrew has achieved. "Andrew doesn’t stand still. Play2Give becomes Sleigh2Give at Christmas and toys are delivered to Oxford Children’s Hospital; community events are frequent, popular and continually evolving; and when Play2Give reached the milestone figure of £50,000 having been raised he simply decided to keep going and raise even more money. "Andrew’s health issues have not entirely gone away. There are times when he struggles and does not always feel great. He is stoic about this and always good-humoured. He feels he is lucky and is buoyed by what he does for others. He is truly a remarkable person who our school community could not recommend more highly." - Mr J Marston, Headteacher, St Birinus School" "Go Green Taxis has been proud to be associated with Andrew and Play2Give for a number of years now. His enthusiasm for fund-raising and more crucially, his ability to make things happen, is extremely inspirational. On a personal level, I have met Andrew on a number of occasions and always found him to be professional, dedicated and a real agent for change. He is very personable and articulate, and his motivation has enabled Play2Give to become the successful charity it is today." - Nick Quail, Go Green Taxis
"Andrew is the sort of guy that always thinks of others than himself, the list of fundraising events he has organised and attended is exhaustive and he shows no signs of slowing down, his events help to raise the profile of a variety of issues as well as supporting local charities." - Vince Rosso, Zopgocharger Limited
"I am full of admiration for Andrew. His commitment and dedication to raise funds for his charity, Play 2 Give, is inspirational. He is a thoroughly nice person who is always friendly and so supportive of others in the community." - Jane Elliott, SeeSaw Fundraiser
"I have every admiration for the fundraising efforts of Andrew. He is creative and innovative with his ideas but importantly committed to delivering." - Mike Foster
"Andy - you deserve lots of credit. You're an inspiration to everyone that all you need is determination and you can achieve loads. Keep up the good work. You're a modest guy, but I'll never say too modest because I think it's a good trait. You're definitely an inspiration and someone others should look up to because if there were more people like you in the world it would be a much better place." - Alex Leishman, former St Birinus School pupil
"We all have a special place in our hearts for Play2Give and all the amazing fundraising it has done over the years for its charities including for us at Headway Oxfordshire. We are very proud of Andrew, he is such a fantastic guy who is doing some really incredible work. He is a great example of how we encourage our users as part of their recovery to be active and get involved with the community. We can't thank him enough for the money Play2Give has raised for us and the children's hospital" - Headway Oxfordshire
"Andrew has organised various events in order to raise money for a number of charities in Oxfordshire. His events are always well supported and he is understanding to the needs of the local press when they wish to publicise Play2Give's work." - Jack Johnson, former Oxfordshire Guardian reporter
"Andy is absolutely amazing raising so much money to help the charities he supports. A very worth while cause which he has won many awards for. Time2bounce will do all we can to help. well done Andy and team wish you more success for the future." - Rachael Clark, Time2Bounce
"I first worked with Andrew in my role at Fox FM's Charity Manager and admire the way that Andrew has dealt with challenges in his life and is now dedicated to helping others! Passionate and enthusiastic are only the start of it with Andrew, a lovely fella with a big heart who has made a big difference." - Nick Streeter, SpecialEffect
"I worked with Andrew and continue in fundraising and awareness raising for my local charitable fund. Andrew is always an enthusiastic and hard working person, approachable and friendly. His tireless work is an inspiration." - Ross Downes, Eye Research Group Oxford
"Andrew can be relied on to produce great events works tirelessly for the charity" - Julio Barresi, Go-Kart Party Owner & Oxfordshire Pizza Company owner
"Andrew has been an inspirational supporter and fundraiser for the Oxford Children's Hospital for many years. He is innovative and makes things happen." - Shamus Donald, former MD at Newsquest Oxfordshire
"Andrew is determined, engaged and driven. He will achieve what others have failed to do." - Helen Bulbeck, Brainstrust
"Andrew is an inspiration to us all. From a very young age he has worked through so many personal challenges and continues to do so with a very positive approach. In addition to dealing with such challenges Andrew has been instrumental in raising thousands of pounds for the Oxford Children's Hospital during and post its capital campaign. Andrew is a very talented fundraiser with an ability to encourage and motivate others to support the cause." - Graham Brogden, former Head of Fundraising at Oxford Hospitals Charity
"Andrew is a wonderfully positive and dedicated fundraiser who has not only helped my own charity but other excellent causes, too. He has worked tirelessly to help others and always puts their needs before his own, even when difficulties with his own health have made this extremely hard for him." - Mick Donegan, Director of SpecialEffect
"What you do day by day is fantastic & you are truly an inspiration to loads of others. We all admire you enormously. You are a star in everyone's eyes who know or come into contact with you. Much love & keep on doing what you're doing. You're brilliant. Big hugs." - Ali Hilborne, Heart FM
"Andrew, fantastic job at your Play2Give tournament this year! The guys and I really enjoyed taking part in a fabulous day. Keep up all your amazingly inspirational work!" - Chris Tarratt
"I have know Andrew for a number of years now and I am absolutely blown away by the effort and work that Andrew puts into raising money and awareness for his charity. If Andrew feels so strongly about something then it must be worth doing. Not only do I sponsor Andrew, I support his ideas and through him, Play2Give will be a foundation which keeps on giving."
"I am so impressed by the motivation and commitment you have to your cause. It was a pleasure doing fundraisers with you. Keep up the good work!" - Ellie Devey-Robson
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Oxfordshire fundraising organisation Established 2007 - Changing transforming and saving lives across Oxfordshire
Patrons: Dr Winston Ellis and David Johnston OBE MP Head Office: 3 King Walk, Didcot, Oxon OX11 7PE Email: hello@play2give.org.uk | Telephone: 07939064308 |
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