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Skipton Town AFC raise over £2,000 in memory of friends

Wednesday, 27 August 2025 08:20

Skipton Town AFC (Andy Wilson)

On Sunday, August 24, during the Bank Holiday weekend, a memorial football match was held at the MJL Stadium.

The match was in honour of William Phillip, Darren Hey and Nick Dawson, three local men who lost their lives too soon.

The match featured a team of friends of William and Darren taking on a Brighouse side captained by Nick’s brother, Joe Dawson.

The event drew a crowd of more than 400 people and the team has raised £2,665 so far for Andy’s Man Club.

Organisers said the day was about both remembering loved ones and supporting a wider cause:

“Will and Darren were both Leeds United fans and Nick supported Huddersfield, so it felt right to use football as a way to bring people together.

"The rivalry was left on the pitch for 90 minutes, but off it we stood united".

The day raised funds for Andy’s Man Club, a men’s mental health charity that runs peer support groups across the UK.

They added:

“We are still blown away by your level of support.

"Your donations were incredible and we hope you all had a great day,”

Local businesses and individuals contributed raffle prizes, and food was provided by Hotdog Heaven and Daddy Kool Ice Cream trucks.

Speaking about the motivation behind the match, organisers highlighted the wider issue. “

Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 54 years old.

"The impact of a loss by suicide is also a battle in itself for the loved ones left behind.

"This isn’t just about Will, Daz and Nick — it’s about trying to make sure fewer families have to go through this".

Andy’s Man Club was founded in 2016 by Elaine Roberts and Luke Ambler, following the death of Andrew Roberts, who took his own life at the age of 23.

The organisation now runs over 2,700 groups each week, with more than 5,800 weekly attendees and 2,500 volunteers nationwide.

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