A charity is celebrating a monumental milestone in one of its flagship events, raising a record-breaking total.
Didcot-born Play2Give, which was created to continue the fundraising for Oxford Children’s Hospital that Andy Baker from the town, first began in 2002 as a St Birinus School pupil, held its fourteenth football tournament on July 13, and smashed all previous event records.
A record-breaking £7,455 was raised for the charity in the thrilling annual football fest, contested this year by 18 teams made up of businesses, groups, other charities, and squads of friends.
Play2Give’s football tournament, first held in 2007, continued the fundraising efforts for the children’s hospital that former patient, Andy first embarked upon aged 14, and has since become a much anticipated and popular event in the charity’s diverse and growing calendar of events.
Andy was inspired to give back and make a difference 23 years ago, as a way to say thank you to the Oxford healthcare teams who saved his life, not once but twice. Following being born with a brain injury at the John Radcliffe Hospital and a complex childhood history of medical treatment, Andy suffered a further traumatic head injury aged eight while at primary school, resulting in the life-changing brain surgery he received aged 12. It was this surgery that spurred the MBE-honoured charity founder to set out to raise £500 to help fund the build of the children’s hospital. Over two decades on, the 37-year-old and his dedicated group of volunteers, have raised around £600,000 for over 40 causes and individuals in need, through funds raised by a wide range of exciting, fun and engaging community events, tombolas, raffles, cake sales and more, alongside the value of thousands of Christmas presents provided at Christmas, raised through ‘Sleigh2Give’, its annual Christmas appeal, for children and families in hospitals, hospices, the less fortunate and vulnerable.
Last Sunday’s event, held on the hottest day of the year so far at Wallingford Sports Park, broke all previous records and the highest temperatures in history, and crowds flocked to the Hithercroft Road complex to support the charity’s mission of changing, transforming, and saving lives.
With on average 180 players across eighteen teams battling it out on the pitches, with some players even travelling from a far as counties including Hampshire and Kent and from towns Didcot, Wantage, Abingdon and Oxford, this year’s 6 a side contest was the very best in Play2Give’s history of holding the event, and next year will mark the fifteenth anniversary of this special event which brings the community together, for the love of the sport.
Companies including Explosive Learning Solutions based on Harwell campus, ATA Logistics and ATA Sameday, both on the Southmead industrial estate in Didcot, Planet IT and Vertex Pharmaceuticals, both based on Milton Park, and follow charity, The Cornermen, all fielded sides.
Other squads were made up of friends, including the Didcot 26’s, captained by Alex Denham from the town whose first-born daughter, Mia-Rose, is treated at the hospital for a heart condition and autism. To help give back, Alex, whose wife Courtnay is a volunteer with the Play2Give group, along with his father and a fellow player from the Hardly Athletic team, Lewis who was moved by the incredible work of the charity, all braved the shave pitch side before kick off, to help raise funds. Writing on their Justgiving page, Courtnay wrote: “As Play2Give gives so much to the Children’s Hospital, we heavily support what they do as a charity for the hospital. We thank Play2Give for everything they do.”
Other individual players and teams also cooked up ingenious, creative and inspiring ways to raise funds this year including Planet IT whose efforts, led by Joseph Gray who works at the company – and who won the tournament’s top fundraising team award in 2023 – held a bake off and cake sale, and Daniel Cadman, a senior member of staff at Explosive Learning Solutions, decided to dye his hair blue and white in the company’s colours.
Other dedicated fundraisers included captain Finn Bliss of The Hungry Horses team from Wantage, who took part for the first time, who shaved his head smashing a £500 goal and sported a new ‘slim shady’ hairdo. Commenting after the event, Finn said: “Andy, a massive thank you to you and your team on behalf of the horses. We had a wonderful day yesterday, and we couldn’t believe how well run the event was. I got a lot of compliments on the haircut, so I think you should join me with the slim shady look, haha. We’ll definitely have to keep in touch. We’re looking forward to next year’s tournament already”
ATA, who fielded two teams this year, went above and beyond in their target, raising the highest out of all teams, raising £2,185 alongside gift aid. Last year, the Didcot-based company entered for the first time and raised over £1,300. This year, they aimed to go one step further with a £1,500 target. They were awarded the top fundraising team trophy on the day. Writing online after the event, the award-winning fundraisers said: “We’re beyond grateful to have been part of such a meaningful event, all while having an absolute blast on (and off) the pitch. It was more than just football – it was community, giving back, and creating memories that’ll last well beyond the final whistle.”
The team at ELS commented on social media, “Our team played hard, winning 4 games and losing 4, finishing 5th in our group. Despite not advancing, we were thrilled to be part of such a fantastic event that raised over £7,455 for local charities. A big thank you to everyone involved for making this tournament a tremendous success. We look forward to next year!”
Speaking on this year’s event, Andy added: “We would love to say a massive thank you to all of the teams, sponsors, supporters and suppliers who brought their A-game making this year’s event the very best, and of course a big thank you to the venue and all of the event team and officials including the refs who worked so hard. We are amazed by the amount raised which is just incredible, and made all the hard work, long hours, and worries, worthwhile. We are all inspired by those teams who set out to raise funds in such brilliance and with such ingenuity and passion, and we’re blown away. Thank you to our community for making Play2Give football tournament 2025 a memorable one in more ways than one, and the very best one.”
Play2Give primarily supports chosen children, health and disability causes of special personal significance to Andy and his team, and last year’s funds is already making a big difference to beneficiaries, including Oxford Head Injury Services, who is using their money of over £3,200 to create a sensory room at its activity and rehabilitation centre in Kennington. Once complete, the chill-out room will be named “Andy’s Room”, as a thank you to Play2Give for its support over the past decade, and as a tribute to Andy who has received care and support from the brain injury organisation over the past 13 years.
To donate to Play2Give, and support its work, visit justgiving.com/play2give
Notes to editors: Pictures from the day are available. Please e-mail us to request pictures, or alternatively download pictures within 3 days at https://we.tl/t-mLLa6WU9tl