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Warwickshire football club raises thousands for local air ambulance in memory of founder

13 Oct 2026 2 min read No comments Fundraising

Atherstone Walking Football Club has raised £620 for The Air Ambulance Service during its annual Derek’s Day match

A local walking football club has scored a major fundraising win to support vital helicopter emergency missions across the region. Members of Atherstone Walking Football Club presented a £620 donation to the life-saving charity following their latest annual memorial match.

The impressive donation brings the total amount raised by the club to nearly £3,000 in honour of their late founding member. Players and supporters gathered for the special tribute match to celebrate his legacy while raising funds for the emergency service.

The annual event, known as Derek’s Day, saw the local team play host to Leicester Nirvana at Atherstone Town Football Club. Representatives from the emergency service later joined a weekly training session to accept the charity cheque in person.

Atherstone Walking Football Club

A local walking football club, Atherstone Walking Football Club  has scored a major fundraising win to support vital helicopter emergency missions across the region. Members of Atherstone Walking Football Club presented a £620 donation to the life-saving charity following their latest annual memorial match.
The impressive donation brings the total amount raised by the club to nearly £3,000 in honour of their late founding member. Players and supporters gathered for the special tribute match to celebrate his legacy while raising funds for the emergency service.
Pic credit: Atherstone Walking Football Club

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Richard Parker, chairman of Atherstone Walking Football Club, said: “To turn our collective remembrance for Derek into a donation that keeps a life-saving helicopter in the sky is a feeling money simply cannot buy. Derek would have been looking down with the biggest smile on his face.

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“Thank you to the players, our extended families, and the brilliant teams at Tesco, Atherstone Town FC, and Jackson’s Cake Toppers. We proved that together; legends truly never die.”

Nadine Eason, in memory and major gift fundraising executive at The Air Ambulance Service, added: “We are incredible grateful to everyone at Atherstone Walking Football Club for their continuing support in memory of Derek. They are a fantastic community, and we are honoured that they have chosen to raise money to help fund our life-saving missions.”

The local charity operates regional helicopter emergency medical services across Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland. It also runs a dedicated national pediatric transfer service that has carried more than 1,200 critically ill children to specialist hospital care.

The walking football club offers weekly sessions for players aged 50 and older who want to stay active and make friends at The Queen Elizabeth Academy, Witherley Road, Atherstone, CV9 1LZ on Mondays / Thursdays 6.30pm -7.30pm. New participants can enjoy their first two sessions free of charge before deciding to join full-time.

Email: richardparker113@yahoo.co.uk for more info Source: https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/warwickshire-football-club-raises-thousands-for-local-air-ambulance-in-memory-of-founder

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