The Scarborough community is preparing to lace up its football boots once again to raise vital funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research and support.
A charity football match is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 5 April 2026, at the Pindar Leisure Centre, with organisers aiming to build on the momentum of previous successful local fundraising efforts.
The event is being spearheaded by Paul Tymon, Jamie Wray, and Nick Hainsworth. Mr Tymon previously helped organise a 12-hour overnight marathon that raised a poignant £7,777—a figure significant for its coincidence with the shirt number of the late rugby league legend and MND campaigner Rob Burrow. Burrow, who passed away shortly after that previous event, remains a primary inspiration for the group's continued efforts to support the Leeds Hospitals Charity and the Rob Burrow Centre for MND Appeal.
The drive behind the event is deeply personal for those involved, Nick Hainsworth is supporting the cause following the loss of his partner’s father, Paul, who passed away on Boxing Day. Mr Hainsworth spoke candidly about the devastating speed of the illness and the impact on families:
"The time from being diagnosed to when he died seems to go over in the blink of the eye.
So I think certainly from my experience it's everyone knows it's a horrible disease but seeing it sort of not first hand for me but for the family it's shatters them, it's horrific.
You would never understand what you're going to experience until you see it really I don't think so anything that we can do to get a bit of money together to try and help people out, raising awareness is the best thing you can do."
The event is being supported by local car business Des Winks, Jamie Wray, from the firm says they felt compelled to take further action against what they describe as a "horrible disease". Jamie highlighted the collaborative effort involved in getting the match off the ground:
"So, we want to support charities as much as possible and we have a nice community of footballers who enjoy playing together and we took the opportunity to to raise some more money for this this horrible disease.
We're sorting out the kits, the ball, the pitch and everything. So, that's the least we can do to make sure we can maximize the amount of money we can actually raise through sponsorship for the players and fans and anyone else who wants to come and watch."
The match is set to kick off at 2:00 pm on the outside pitch at Pindar Leisure Centre, providing ample space for spectators from the Scarborough public, whom Mr Tymon described as being incredibly generous in the past. While the event is for charity, the organisers noted that the competitive spirit remains high, with Mr Wray promising "all guns blazing" once the whistle blows.
Beyond the pitch, a raffle is being planned at The Mayfield in Seamer to further boost the fundraising total. The organisers are currently appealing to the public and local businesses for raffle prize donations. Mr Tymon stated that they are particularly looking for "two or three decent prizes" that will help attract ticket buyers and maximise donations.
Supporters can contribute to the cause through several channels:
- Donating via the official JustGiving page under the name "Paul Tymon". https://www.justgiving.com/page/paul-tymon-2
- Purchasing raffle tickets or donating prizes by contacting Paul Tymon directly on Facebook.https://www.facebook.com/ptymon
- Attending the match on 5 April to support the players, who are all "paying to play" to ensure every penny raised goes to the charity.
According to the JustGiving campaign details, the project has already seen a steady stream of donations from the local community as they work towards their latest target. The funds raised will contribute to the ongoing mission of providing better facilities and searching for a cure for those living with MND.
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