Hartlepool and Crystal Palace fans to stage charity football match in aid of wife of former 'Pools boss Gemma Lee
Football fans and the whole community are being invited to show their support for a charity match between Hartlepool and Crystal Palace supporters.
The Gemma Lee Charity Game will take place at Grayfields on Sunday, August 28, with all proceeds going to the wife of former Hartlepool United manager Graeme Lee.
Mum-of-two Gemma has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, but her condition has been helped by a trial drug which costs around £5,000-a-month.
The idea for the charity match developed following Premier League club Crystal Palace’s generous donation to Gemma when Hartlepool played them in the fourth round of the FA Cup, earlier this year.
Charity match organiser and Pools fan Kevin Moore subsequently kept in touch with the Palace fans, with one of their supporters, Barry Flint, suggesting it.
Kevin said: “A bond has grown between the two sets of fans since the FA Cup match.
“We started talking and Barry said ‘why don’t we have a charity match in aid of Gemma in Hartlepool with all proceeds going to the Gemma Lee Fund?’
"And I said why not have it on the August bank holiday weekend.”
The game kicks off at 3pm, with grassroots club FC Hartlepool hosting. There will also be donation buckets, raffles and auctions.
Entry is free with encouraged donations of £2 for adults and £1 for children.
Several businesses have provided raffle prizes and Kevin also thanked BBC Tees DJ Paul ‘Goffy’ Gough for helping promote the event.
Anyone who wishes to give a raffle prize can drop it off at the Grayfields Sports Pavilion, in Jesmond Gardens.