Wrestlers raise over £4,000 for the children’s department at Queen’s Hospital Burton
On Saturday 30 March, more than 160 wrestling fans packed into Marston’s Sports and Social Club in Burton for Help the Hospital — a community wrestling show with one big goal: to give back to Queen’s Hospital Burton’s children’s department.
The event was organised by local wrestler Axel Justice and Sport Live Promotions’ Lee Allen. For Justice, it was personal — a close friend’s son had received outstanding care at the hospital, and this was his way of saying thank you.
“This was a long time in the making,” said Justice. “We wanted to do something special, and the support has been beyond magnificent”.
All the wrestlers gave their time for free, local business Lifestyle Barbers stepped up to sponsor the ring and Marston’s Sports and Social kindly donated the venue helping to create an afternoon filled with fun, family-friendly action and a genuine community spirit.
In the main event, Axel Justice took on his rival Franco Fate in front of a buzzing crowd and came out victorious. But it was what happened next that really stole the show. As part of the match’s stipulation, Fate’s manager, Daoud Hamdani, had his long blonde hair shaved off in the middle of the ring raising over £2,500 (including Gift Aid) in the process. His hair will now be turned into wigs for cancer patients.
The total raised from the event has topped £4,000, which will go towards funding a new virtual reality (VR) headset for the Burton children’s department. The headset is designed to help young patients feel more relaxed and comfortable during procedures and includes an MRI simulator to better prepare them for what can sometime be a daunting experience.
Jill Matthews, Chief Officer of the hospital’s charity, said: “We are so grateful to everyone who made this event happen. From the wrestlers and organisers, to the local businesses and every single person who came along to show their support. The money raised will make hospital visits a lot more comfortable for our young patients”.
Thank you to Axel, Lee, Daoud, and everyone who helped Help the Hospital become such a memorable and meaningful success.