LADY luck was not on the side of Rugby’s MP when he placed a Grand National bet as part of a bookmaker’s campaign to raise funds for lifesaving cancer research.
Mark Pawsey met with staff and customers at William Hill in the town centre to support their April campaign by placing a £50 charity bet on the Grand National – the world’s most famous horse race – in support of the Bobby Moore Memorial Fund’s Football Shirt Friday campaign.
Sadly his horse, Captain Redbeard, didn’t come in.
The bookmaker is sponsoring the fund, which has so far raised over £44,000 for clinical trials and research into bowel cancer, for the third year running.
Mr Pawsey said: “The fight against cancer is one which I am very supportive of and so I was very pleased to be invited to meet staff at William Hill and find out more about their fundraising this year for the Bobby Moore Fund.
“Regrettably my horse, Captain Redbeard, did not come in and so I wasn’t able to add any winnings to this excellent cause.
“April also marks Bowel Cancer Awareness month, and with Bowel Cancer being the second biggest cancer killer in the UK it is vital that we do whatever we can to support research into this disease.
“William Hill and the Bobby Moore Memorial Fund are doing excellent work on this front and I hope that they will raise as much money this year as they have done in previous years.”
Throughout April, William Hill is encouraging staff and customers to come into the shop wearing a football shirt and make a small donation to raise money for the Bobby Moore Fund. The company is also using its UK-wide network of shops and offices to educate customers and colleagues on the risks of bowel cancer, which kills 44 people every day in the UK.
William Hill’s director of security and community affairs Bill South said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring Football Shirt Friday for another year and are proud to have raised a significant amount of money for such a vital cause.
“We could not do it without the incredible support of our colleagues and customers across the country and I am quite certain that our 2018 campaign will be our most successful yet.”
