Employees from Midcounties Co-operative are to take to the pitch against TV soap stars in a charity football match in Walsall
The match, on 26 August at Rushall Olympic FC, will see the co-op line up against soap stars including Ashley Taylor-Dawson (Darren Osborne) and Jacob Roberts (Damon Kinsella) from Hollyoaks, Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs) from Coronation Street, and Anthony Quinlan (Pete Barton) from Emmerdale.
Fans can meet the stars during a meet and greet after the match, and can enter a charity raffle for return Jet2 Holiday flights to any European destination or city break.
Funds will go to local causes including sexual exploitation charity Street Teams, Alzheimer support groups ALZ Café and Monthly Alzheimer Support Evenings (MASE), and blindness and sight-loss support centre, Beacon Vision. Two community groups, Codsall Village Hall and Rushall FC, will also receive some of the donations.
Alistair Rowland, group general manager at Midcounties, said: “This is the first time we’ve done anything like this and we’re looking forward to seeing if our colleagues are better skilled on the pitch than the stars!
“Teaming up with 12 well-known faces from some of the nation’s favourite soaps is a great way of raising awareness and much-needed funding for the many charity partners we support.
“We’re committed to supporting vulnerable members of the community with exciting and new fundraising initiatives and are hoping to raise thousands of pounds through ticket sales. These funds will help each of the charities to continue their work and support vulnerable people in the area.”
The initiative forms part of the Midcounties’ Regional Communities strategy, where members and colleagues can take part in volunteering and fundraising activities.
- Tickets for the match can be bought online, from Midcounties stores, or by calling 07508398092: £8 for adults, £5 for children and £20 for a family of four, with free tickets for those under three years of age.
