PRESS RELEASE
Date: Tuesday 3rdAugust 2021
Local footballers hope to smash £30K fundraising target at August charity football match in memory of legendary Wallingford Town player and manager, Charlie Allum
A 10th Anniversary charity football match in memory of the iconic Wallingford Town Football Club player and manager, Charlie Allum, will take place at Cholsey Recreation Ground, Station Road, Cholsey, on Saturday 7th August.
The veterans match, open to over 35's only, will see loyal, regular Memorial Day player, Carl Fisher take charge of one team, and current trophy holder, Ronnie Williams, competing against him. Around 30 players are due to take part in the planned 11 a side game.
As Chris Allum, Charlie's football-loving son, Chairman of Cholsey United Football Club and passionate charity fundraiser explains, "My dad lost a bravely fought battle against a rare liver cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, on 12th June 2011, so it's the ten-year anniversary since his passing, and his memory and legacy continue to burn stronger than ever, even during these challenging times. It is because of this that we wanted to organise a low-key but nevertheless special commemorative event for him. We hope the annual Charlie Allum Memorial Day, which has grown in size and popularity since it first began in 2011, will return in full force in 2022, bigger and better than ever, a summer ‘diary date' for everyone in the Wallingford area."
However, Chris has not been alone in his commitment to highlighting and commemorating his father's passion for football and to raising awareness for the world's second most common primary liver cancer, cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer), against which Charlie courageously fought. Ever since Charlie's passing, aged just 55, Chris, brother Andy and sister Nicola, and his loyal supporters have been on a mission to raise funds to research the ruthless cancer that afflicted Charlie. As well as organising the Annual Memorial Day, Chris has competed in two London Marathons and three half marathons during 2017 alongside his brother Andy, and Nicola has completed a Slimathon.
Hopes are high that the 10th Anniversary event will take the Allum family's fundraising efforts over the £30K mark.
The day will also include a BBQ organised by Cholsey United Football Club. The event ground will open from 10.30am with the first game due to start at 11.00am. The BBQ will run from 12.00 to 14.00.
Commenting on the event, Helen Morement, CEO of AMMF, says, "Having incredible, inspirational fundraisers like Chris Allum and his family and friends, means AMMF can continue to invest in potentially lifesaving cholangiocarcinoma research. AMMF's aims are to raise the awareness of cholangiocarcinoma, to encourage and support research and to provide reliable information to those who need it, and we rely on the support of loyal fundraisers like Chris to enable us to achieve these aims."
Anyone interested in playing can contact Chris by email on chrisallum101@btinternet.com and for any donations, please visit Chris's JustGiving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chris-allum
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Contact: Esther Porta at AMMF on +44 (0) 20 7351 7374 or +44 (0)7870 439 158 Email:esther@ammf.org.uk
AboutAMMF
AMMF was founded and registered as a charity with the Charity Commission in 2002 (registered charity no 1091915). AMMF is the UK's only cholangiocarcinoma charity, dedicated to tackling this devastating cancer on all fronts: providing information and support, campaigning to raise awareness, and encouraging and supporting research.
In recent years, an enormous and extremely worrying worldwide increase in cholangiocarcinoma's incidence has been noted. In 2017, cholangiocarcinoma was the cause of death of 2,523 people in England alone1.The incidence appears to be increasing across all age groups, including younger people, and the cause of this ongoing increase is unknown. Much more research is desperately needed.
AMMF is dedicated to bringing about improvement for the cholangiocarcinoma patient, working closely throughout the UK with patients, families, carers, clinicians, healthcare professionals, researchers, politicians, and policy makers, and collaborating internationally. For more information, visit:https://www.ammf.org.uk/ (registered charity no 1091915).
1Genus T, et al. Poster presentation at EASL ILC 2020; Poster THU-508