You’ve got the power: Foundation patron Simon Scotchbrook with members of Middlesbrough Powerchair Football Club in their new Boro away shirts. From left: Dylan Pearson, Nathan Carne, Steve Gordon, Ryan Dack, Joe Alecock and James Radcliffe.
BORO’S very own power rangers had their wishes come true when they were kitted out thanks to local businesses and individuals who support Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation.
Nearly 200 Teesside sports organisations received a share of a £30,000 jackpot donated by the Philanthropic Foundation for the Evening Gazette’s massively popular Wish Sport campaign.
But the charity’s generous patrons then decided to donate an additional surprise bonus to three of their favourite sporting clubs.
Having already received £650 as a result of collecting 36,700 Wish Sport tokens in the Gazette, Middlesbrough Powerchair Football Club were delighted with an additional £1,000 donation from the Foundation.
They immediately spent part of their unexpected windfall on a set of Boro away shirts, which their players will wear with pride when competing in the national powerchair league.
Meanwhile, Grangetown Under-7s Football Club received an additional £500 boost to go with the £491 they earned by collecting nearly 28,000 Wish Sport tokens.
And Tees Valley Roller Skating Club, whose skaters are aged six to adult, received an extra £500 to go with the £459 they had already received through Wish Sport.
Simon Scotchbrook, managing director of Stockton-based IT group Agile, paid a visit to present the £1,000 cheque and see Middlesbrough Powerchair FC in action at their base in Coulby Newham’s Rainbow Leisure Centre.
Simon, who was one of the charity’s patrons who voted for the powerchair club to receive the surprise bonus, said: “Having never previously seen the sport, it was a privilege to watch powerchair football for the first time. It was immediately obvious that the Foundation’s money was going to a truly exceptional cause.
“Having already donated £30,000 to Wish Sport, the Foundation’s patrons were delighted to give out an extra £2,000 to three of the very best examples of Teesside’s sports clubs that are at the heart of our communities.”
Winner of the Heart of the Community award for the Teesside region in the prestigious North East Business Awards, Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation is a charitable movement committed to making Teesside a better place to live, work and do business.
The Foundation’s generous corporate patrons include AV Dawson, Active Financial Services, Devereux Transport, Middlesbrough FC, Bulkhaul, SABIC, Evolution, Visualsoft, First Choice Labels, Endeavour Partnership, Onyx Group, Unasys, Cleveland Cable Company, Macks Solicitors, px Group, Glanbia Nutritionals, Cool Blue and Erimus Insurance Brokers.
Along with Simon Scotchbrook, individual patrons are Andy Preston, Nigel Williams, Ian Tracey, Mark Bolland, the McCullagh family, the Wadsworth family, Rob McLaughlin, Ali Miremadi, Steve Nichols, Barney Ord, Bill Scott and the Sizer Family.
