Charity football match raises vital funds for Fit Rovers Families programme and Doncaster Royal Infirmary

Charity football match raises vital funds for Fit Rovers Families programme and Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Club Doncaster Foundation teamed up with Sands United Doncaster for a match based at the Eco-Power Stadium, with participants from our Fit Rovers programmes, involved in the event, raising over £859.

£429.50 was raised for the Neonatal & Children’s Wards to help support the renovation of the Serenity Suite at DRI, which aims to provide a private and comforting environment where families can find solace, process their grief, and create cherished memories with their precious babies. The facility has been meticulously designed to meet the unique needs of families experiencing baby loss, offering privacy, empathy, and specialised care.

The charity match comes off the back of the recently launched Fit Families project that supports women experiencing baby loss. The free six-week course follows the award winning Fit Families pre and post natal programmes, which features 30-minute discussions on a range of topics, followed by an hour of physical activity, but most importantly, the new programme will provide a safe and welcoming environment for participants to meet those who have also suffered bereavement for open discussions. 

Lynn Goodman, Health & wellbeing officer, heads up the Fit Families programme and organised the match. Speaking of the success of the event, she said: “It’s something different that we want to bring to the Foundation and I’m looking at potentially doing it annually with different participants involved. 

“A big thing for us, when we spoke about baby loss, they don’t get that much mental support, once the baby is lost, and within 90 minutes each day, a baby is lost, so it’s something that we’re very passionate about and we need to make sure we’re providing these women with the right care and need and support and that’s what we’re there for. 

“These families are going through trauma, they need a bit more support and the hospital can’t do it itself, so we’re here to make sure that our Foundation are providing the chance to give something back and some of these parents are actually going through it and they come onto our courses so we’re providing them the pathway to be involved in Fit Families which is key. 

“It’s going to grow. I’m keen to making sure we provide the right pathway, the right people and support moving forward.”

One Sands United player, has also been involved with Fit Rovers after completing a course, and has seen the benefits first hand: “Sands is close to my heart after the passing of my niece, so representing her and playing for them is an absolute privilege. I also joined Fit Rovers and completed a course and it’s really helped support my mental health, so to be able to be here to represent both charities, is absolutely amazing and both have been really close to my heart. 

“The funds raised will mean the world to them. The support that needs to be in place for families who have suffered baby loss, it needs to be there and I think the money is going to do some great things. I think you could see from the game how much both charities mean to people.”

The game finished 1-1 following a competitive and intense 90 minutes. 

Doncaster Rovers Belles vice captain, Katie Yates bolstered more funds for the hospital by abseiling from the roof of the Women’s and Children’s wards recently, raising an additional £461.

To find out more about the Fit Rovers Families programme, please contact fitfamilies@clubdoncasterfoundation.co.uk.