Decade of charity football matches in Berkhamsted comes to an end this summer

A Berkhamsted charity football started by Jack Dobby and his family will finish its ten years of fund-raising next month.

This year’s match will be dedicated to Nick Fox, a friend and fellow player who died in a car crash in March this year.

The yearly matches were created by the family for Jack’s uncle Steve who had lung cancer in 2012.

Jack said: “We just wanted to do something for him whilst he was still alive. So we decided to do a charity football match for the Bobby Moore fund to raise funds for cancer research.

The final match, which is held at Ashlyns School, will take place on July 30 - what would have been Steve’s 75th birthday.

After the success of the first match, the fundraiser continued and has supported several local and international charities in its ten years.

The Willen Hospice, Hectors House and Rebuild Nepal, a charity started by Jack’s mother, have received money that was raised at the matches.

Rebuild Nepal has helped low-income families in the country to have a better life after the 2015 earthquake.

The charity has built a school, clinics and homes for people in the affected areas.

Jack said: “It feels sad to be bringing it to an end but also feel extremely proud to have achieved what we have the last decade.”

Jack’s favourite memory from the matches was when the event had women play.

He said: “It was all very male-heavy. Then a young girl called Kat wanted to play. She plucked up the courage. In the 10th and final year, we've got at least six girls playing.”

The mixed-gender teams pay to play football, with this money going to the selected charity.

This year’s charity is Brain Research UK which Jack and his partner will raise money when they take part in the London Marathon this October this year.

The players are hoping to smash their £10,000 target and pass that milestone for their last game.

People can donate to Jack’s page here.