Celebs to turn out for The Big Match in Newbury tomorrow

Charity football game raising funds for Action for Children and The Brain Tumour Charity

STARS from Hollyoaks, TOWIE, The X Factor and Celebrity Big Brother will join professional footballers past and present at Newbury Football Club on tomorrow (Saturday) for The Big Match.

The charity football event will be raising money for Action for Children and The Brain Tumour Charity and will see a whole host of entertainment, games and activities take place at Newbury FC’s Faraday Road stadium.

The day kicks off with a ‘Kidz’ session, which will bring together the next generation of footballers for a training session to learn new skills, guided by professional coaches and former footballing pros.

The main event sees the adults take over with a full-length game with the likes of Ossie Ardilles, Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock and Francis Benali taking to the pitch alongside celebs from Hollyoaks, TOWIE, The X Factor.

Neil Humphries, who began organising the charity event after his father died from a brain tumour in 2012, said: “It’s hard to believe this will be our fifth year and to hold the event at Newbury FC is fantastic.

“I played there as a youth with my Dad watching so it’s extra special for me.

“We’re already ahead of last year’s fundraising total and the event has yet to take place.

“We’re all so proud of everyone’s efforts in continuing the success of The Big Match.

“We are confident with our ‘Extra Time’ evening event we’ll be able to boast a fantastic figure at the end."

Star of Real Housewives of Cheshire, Ampika Pickston, said: “I’m delighted to be supporting Action for Children and The Brain Tumour Charity at The Big Match’s Extra Time event.

“It’s a pleasure to be invited this year and I’m looking forward to helping raise even more money and awareness for these two worthy causes. It’s going to be a fabulous evening.”

Spectators will be able enjoy a host of activities on and off the pitch, including a bouncy castle, ‘speed-shoot’ test, penalty shoot-out and a prize-grabber game, as well as competitions with prizes ranging form Reading Festival tickets, toys and gym passes.

Tickets cost £9.50 and can be purchased at thebigmatch.co.uk.

Gates open at 10:30am and close at 5pm. The Kidz session is from 11am and the Big Match kicks off at 2pm.

For information about Action for Children, visit actionforchildren.org.uk and for The Brain Tumour Charity, thebraintumourcharity.org.uk