It was time for hands up and a unanimous vote of thanks to Stuart and Katie Ross, Helen Cotterill-Smith and her husband John, as two Ripon charities shared more than £5,400 to support their vital work.
In the space of less than six months, Stuart and Katie with expert advice from Helen, a regional safeguarding officer with the English Football League, turned an idea for a six-a-side football tournament into a tremendous fundraiser for men’s mental health charities Andy’s Man Club and Ripon Men’s Shed.
Yesterday (Sunday) outside the award-winning Portly Pig on Kirkgate, representatives from both charities told Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon blog how they are going to spend the £2,711 that each of them received.
Raising money and awareness
Owen Pearman of Andy’s Man Club, which meets at 7pm every Monday in Ripon Bowling Club, said:
This is a brilliant boost and will help us to cover the cost of holding our meetings, paying for items such as tea and coffee and biscuits.
As well as raising money, the Portly Pig’s high-profile promotion of the Pig Cup tournament was invaluable as it raised awareness of the suicide prevention work that we do.
Supporting the creation of a new workshop
Ripon’s Men’s Shed, which meets from 9.30am until 2pm each Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at its headquarters on Water Skellgate, has grown year on year since it was launched in 2021 with eight initial members.
Shed manager Barry Sutton, said:
We continue to grow and now have more than 40 members who are involved in our community-based projects.
The money that we are receiving as a result of the Pig Cup is well timed, as it will help us with the creation of our new workshop.
We greatly appreciate the support of Stuart, Katie, Helen and John and all at the Portly Pig and thank them for choosing us, alongside Andy’s Man Club, to receive the money that was raised.
Suicide prevention
The importance of the work done by Andy’s Man Club and the city’s Shed in tackling issues of loneliness, social isolation and feelings of low self-worth, was underlined before the start of the tournament at Ripon City AFC’s Mallorie Park Drive ground, on July 12th, when a minute’s silence was observed as players and supporters bowed their heads in memory of the many men from across the UK and locally who have taken their own lives.
With approximately 7,100 people a year in the UK dying by suicide, Helen, pointed out:
Around three quarters of the deaths are among males and very sadly, with approximately 20 lives lost per day, suicide remains the leading cause of death for people under the age of 35.
A Pig thank you
Stuart, said:
Katie and I would like to thank everybody from Helen and John, to Ripon City AFC, Ripon BID, businesses and organisations across the city, who entered teams for the tournament and donors who gave us items of football memorabilia for the Pig Cup charity auction.
Every contriubution added to the final result and we know that the funds raised for two great charities will be well spent in supporting their vital work.
A shining example
Lilla Bathurst, manager of Ripon BID said:
The Pig Cup tournament is another shining example of how Ripon’s independent businesses and organisations work together to back community-based activities, from Saturday’s St Wilfrid’s procession to last month’s Ripon Theatre Festival.
It’s what makes our ancient, heritage rich, Cathedral City of the Dales such a special place to do business, live in and visit.
All photos taken by Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon Blog for Ripon BID.
