“Chickendog” trophy raises more than £1,000 to save lives across Greater Manchester

The family of Mark ‘Ted’ Edwards, former Metro FC and Railway Jacks football player, have donated £1,072 to NorthCare, the official charity of Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, in his memory.

Mark’s daughters Charlotte and Gina chose to make the donation towards equipment for the RAPTOR Theatre, the first hybrid major trauma operating theatre in the UK that will care for the most seriously injured and unwell patients from across the North West, opening later this year.

The funds were raised through the “Chickendog” Trophy football match, named after Mark’s favourite kebab, which saw the Railway Jacks take on the Salford Referees at Woodley Sports Club in Stockport. Mark was a huge sports fan, particularly football, and so his daughters and wife Alison felt it was only fitting to hold a game in his memory after he suddenly passed away on 6 June 2022 from a brain aneurysm.

The match was followed by a party at the Railway Club in Stockport, with music, food, inflatables and a raffle to raise funds for NorthCare Charity. Almost 200 people attended the event, with the final score 7-4 to the Stockport Referees.

Following Mark’s death, his family decided that they would continue his legacy by agreeing to allow his organs to be donated. Because of this, they were awarded The Order of St John UK Award for Organ Donation, which honours organ donors and their families.

“We love and miss my Dad so much, and he will always be with us in our hearts. We hope to always make him proud, and we hope his memory lives on in the donation we’ve made to NorthCare Charity”, said Charlotte.

The family have chosen to donate to NorthCare Charity’s RAPTOR campaign, which aims to raise £1.4 million to create the UK’s first hybrid major trauma operating theatre, inside the Greater Manchester Major Trauma Hospital on the Salford Royal site. The theatre will treat the most seriously injured patients from across the North West, giving them the best chance of survival.

“Our dad died very suddenly and we were not prepared”, said Charlotte. “Losing him left us shocked and full of pain, but he was able to donate his organs to save others’ lives, which brought us some peace. We hope this donation to the RAPTOR Theatre in his memory will help save even more lives and make a real difference.”

“We can’t thank Mark’s family enough for their donation in celebration of his life”, said Jess Pollard, Fundraising Officer for NorthCare Charity.

“Contributing to our RAPTOR campaign means that their fundraising will have a huge impact on people across Greater Manchester for years to come, which is a real tribute to Mark.

“Fundraising in memory of a loved one is a lovely way to mark their life and bring friends and family together in their grief, and our charity team is here to support you every step of the way. If you are interested in raising funds in memory, please get in touch with us.”

For more information on NorthCare charity and the RAPTOR campaign, visit www.northcarecharity.org/RAPTOR.