York: Wigginton Grasshoppers football team raise over £7k for OSCARs

The players of Wigginton Grasshoppers U14s Girls’ team showed they could work together on and off the pitch by raising £7,018 for OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity through a series of events.

These included navigating a 5km run filled with inflatable obstacles in York and Leeds, and a celebrity football match at the LNER Community Stadium where the youngsters got to meet former Lioness Jill Scott.

The team posing with their cheque after a win at Mill Lane, Wigginton's home ground (Image: Supplied)

Some of the players got their parents involved in the fundraising.

Parents joined in with the inflatable 5km runs, and took on the Wharfedale Ton Bike Ride, Yorkshire Three Peaks, Yorkshire Marathon relay and even the Copenhagen Marathon.

Fun in the sun at Harewood House on the Inflatable 5k run (Image: Supplied)

They also donated to the charity in lieu of sending Christmas cards and one parent donated to pay for the charity’s name to be seen on the girls’ training tops.

OSCAR’s was set up in memory of Dunnington schoolboy and keen footballer Oscar Hughes who died of a brain tumour at the age of just nine in 2014.

Oscar Hughes loved football (Image: Supplied)

Andrew Hurren has coached the football team since the players were eight, the same age Oscar was when he was diagnosed.

He said: “Our girls are an incredible group who have embraced OSCAR’s and raised money for the charity at every opportunity.

Some of the parents in the group that climbed the Yorkshire Three Peaks last summer (Image: Supplied)

“The amount they have raised is truly staggering and is a testament to the character of them and their families.

“As coaches we couldn't be prouder of these young women in how they act on and off the football field - and as a team we couldn’t be prouder to be involved with a charity that seeks to make such a difference to children with brain tumours.”

Parent Lucy Meyers posing with Oscar's mum Marie after the Copenhagen Marathon (Image: Supplied)

Parent Phil King added: “Sometimes you don’t quite realise how lucky we are to be able to just watch our children do everyday things like running around a football field.

“I feel privileged to be part of such a close-knit group at Wigginton helping those children and families through tough times.”

OSCAR’s aims to work with groups of children and has seen success both raising awareness of brain tumours and fundraising in schools including Bootham School, Wilberfoss CE Primary School and Vale of York Academy.

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Rachel James, the charity’s assistant community fundraiser, said the money will help the charity extend its ‘Family Support Scheme’ to support more people suffering with childhood brain tumours.  

“The commitment of this group of families to help other families in such a massive way is incredibly special,” she said.  

“We work with children who loved playing football before they were diagnosed with their brain tumour and just can’t anymore.”

Rachel encouraged teams interested in fundraising for OSCAR’s to email her at: rachel@oscarspbtc.org or visit oscarspbtc.org for more information.