Thatcham football team picks up local fundraising award

Speedshot racks up thousands for charity

A LOCAL football club has bagged an award for its fundraising.

Thatcham Tornadoes welcomed the town’s outgoing mayor Ellen Crumly to its tournament and she presented medals to more than 200 children taking part in the U8 festival.

Mrs Crumly also issued the club with the Town Council Partnership Badge in recognition of its fundraising for the mayor’s charities at the Thatcham Family Fun Day each year.

The club has raised more than £10,000 for local good causes through its penalty speedshot.

Chairman and tournament organiser Graham Bartlett received the award on behalf of the club.

He said: “The speedshot is our way of supporting the community that supports us and we have been truly amazed at how well received this continues to be at events.

“In the five years we have been running this, the speedshot has raised over £10,000 for some amazing causes, many of them local.

“Thank you so much to everyone who has kicked footballs to raise this money and to our club volunteers that take the speedshot to the various events”.

The Thatcham Tornadoes SPX Speedshot will be in action at Thatcham Family Fun Day on Sunday, June 24, to raise money for the charities of new mayor Jan Cover – Thames Valley Air Ambulance and Hedgehog Bottom.

The Tornadoes said it was looking forward to seeing if its overall record of 78mph could be beaten.

For more information on Thatcham Tornadoes, visit to www.thatchamtornadoes.com