On Sunday, Daisy Hill FC hosted a charity football match, staged to raise funds for two charities that offer support to serving and former servicemen and their families, writes Ian Templeman.

Teams representing the Darren Deady Foundation and the Lee Rigby Foundation competed for the 2024 Heroes Memorial Cup, with the Lee Rigby team running out 5-3 winners on the day.

The Darren Deady Foundation was created in memory of Kingsman Darren Deady from Westhoughton, who died from injuries sustained while serving in the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment in Afghanistan in 2010.

The Lee Rigby Foundation was founded by Lyn and Ian Rigby after the loss of their son, Fusilier Lee Rigby in 2013.

Sunday’s game was the third time the Heroes Memorial Cup has been staged, and the event was originally the brainchild of Daisy Hill manager Lee Hill, who served for 23 years in the Royal Engineers.

Lee, who played the entire 90 minutes for the Darren Deady XI on Sunday, explained how the idea for the game evolved.

“Being from Westhoughton, I know Julie (Darren Deady’s mother) very well and had seen her at Remembrance parades in the town, and I knew Dan and Stacey too (Darren’s brother and sister-in-law).

“The connection grew from there, and a couple of years ago it was mentioned that they were looking to pull some family and friends of Darren together for a football match.

“I’ve played for the Lee Rigby Foundation team since it got started a few years ago, so I knew if we could get a team together from the Darren Deady Foundation, the two teams could play the game at Daisy Hill, and that’s where the idea came from.

“It’s now become an annual event, and it’s great that we’ve had a really good turn out on the day.”

Christine Holden, Director of the Darren Deady Foundation, added: “Crowd wise we’ve had a fantastic turn out. Lots of families attended, lots of veterans attended, and we also welcomed representatives from the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, who Darren served with.

“Every time we hold the event, all the money we raise from gate money, and all the donations we receive, gets split between the two charities, therefore events like the football match are very important.

“At the Darren Deady Foundation we have a massive project coming up, as we are on the verge of taking over a lease on the former Washacre Centre building in Westhoughton.

“The aim is that the building will serve as a day centre, and will offer support both to servicemen and members of the local community as well, so it will be fully inclusive.”

She added: “As well as fund raising, to help meet the costs of establishing the centre, we will be appealing to local businesses for sponsorship, so events such as the Heroes Memorial Cup all help the raise the profile of the work carried out by both ourselves and the Lee Rigby Foundation.”