Football fan Eddie Powell is helping kick off the St Ann’s Hospice appeal by organising a football memorabilia fair.
The lifelong Stockport County supporter is hosting the event in the 1883 Suite at Edgeley Park on Sunday, September 11 (10 am – 1 pm).
Stallholder and ticket fees, plus profits from refreshments, will be donated to St Ann’s which needs to raise £2m for its Build It Together appeal for a new hospice at Heald Green.
The charity faces the risk of closure unless it can reach the £21.5m mark to fund a new building. It has appealed to the public in a push for the final £2m.
Eddie, from Hillgate, is hoping others follow his example by fundraising. His late grandad Stan Woodland (88) was a patient at St Ann’s in 2002. Stan’s wife Mary died last September, aged 100.
Eddie said: “I can’t put into words the care my grandad got – it was outstanding. St Ann’s has always meant a lot to me and our club.
“St Ann’s needs that last £2m to get over the line and I thought I’m not having them pulling the plug on the hospice. It means too much to me and I’ve seen what fantastic care they give.
“I saw our president Steve Bellis took the National League Trophy into the hospice for a patient who’s a big County fan. Steve’s promised to bring the trophy along to our programme fair as well.”
Eddie has been a volunteer gardener for St Ann’s and ran a 10k in aid of them. He is also part of the Help The Hatters voluntary group which paints the ground and does litter picks.
Collectors from far and wide have already booked pitches at the programme fair which is open to the public. Eddie said: “I’ve got thousands of programmes and always buy one at every game. It’s a big hobby of mine and part of my match-day ritual.”
His most treasured possession is his oldest programme dating back to 1937 when Stockport won the Third Division North by beating Lincoln City.
* For more information on the programme fair contact Eddie on 07768 465504.
