Berkeley Nets £39,000 For Demelza
On the 29th September Berkeley held its annual five-a-side tournament at Goals Eltham, netting £39,200 for local children’s charity, Demelza. Representatives from Demelza attended to raise awareness of its work providing care for and supporting seriously or terminally ill young people and their families. Earlier this year, Berkeley announced it would be continuing its charity partnership with Demelza, who provide care and support for children facing serious or life-limiting conditions and their families across Kent, South East London and East Sussex. This partnership has seen over £500,000 raised through various fundraising activities since 2012. Additionally, over 480 hours of volunteer work has been undertaken.
The incredible work that Demelza provides is entirely dependent on the generosity of its supporters. Without money or people’s time, it would be unable to provide the care and support for these children and their families, making charity partnerships like the one with Berkeley East Thames pivotal to its future.
Lavinia Jarrett, Chief Executive at Demelza, said: “A huge thank you to the team at Berkeley for the generous support they have given Demelza for over 10 years now. Events such as their annual football tournament not only raise vital funds but also awareness of our services through their supplier network and the Berkeley Foundation, helping us reach more children and families who need us.
“This year, Demelza celebrates its 25th anniversary as an organisation. The money raised from partnerships like Berkeley’s help us to ensure we can provide vital care and support for children facing serious or life-limiting conditions, and their families, today and for the next 25 years to come too. We are so grateful.”
The five-a-side competition began with teams playing in preliminary rounds to determine whether they competed in the Cup or Shield. These knockout tournaments culminated in finals with ACL Finishing crowned overall champions by winning the Cup and Berkeley’s Kidbrooke Village team winning the Shield. Both teams received medals and trophies for their efforts.
Karl Whiteman, Divisional Managing Director for Berkeley East Thames, said: “Demelza is doing vital work in the Greenwich community, and I’m delighted we could once again support it through our football tournament. I’m very proud that colleagues and our trusted partners were able to raise almost £40,000 and I’d like to thank everyone who supported the event. Congratulations to the winners and I hope they come back next year to defend their title.”
