Walking footballers hit the back of the net with cash for Annesley charity

The group has raised more than £230 for Leon’s Legacy, which was started in 2019 in memory of Leon Smith, who suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while working as a lunchtime supervisor at Annesley Primary School, aged just 52.

His family started a Justgiving page to raise money for a defibrillator for the school, so that they would have life-saving equipment to hand, should anything happen again.

The Justgiving page had soon raised £3,000 and so the family decided to make donations to the air ambulance and the Ashfield first responders who attended to Leon, as well as purchasing a defibrillator.

Holly Younger, Leon’s daughter, decided to continue raising money to put defibrillators in schools.

The latest donation has come from Hucknall Walking Football FC

Pete Stevenson, from the club, said: “Since 2019, Leon’s legacy has purchased 55 defibrillators for schools and assisted 17 community groups with having their on defibrillators.

“Holly, who works as a cardiac nurse, has also provided free CPR/defibrillator training to more 900 people.

“The charity aims to put a defibrillator in all schools and also mount these defibrillators outside the schools in 24/7 accessible cabinets.

“This would mean the community would also have access to this life-saving equipment.”

Hucknall Walking Football FC has a charity tin at its weekly sessions which is filled up over time and the money then presented to a local good cause, with the latest beneficiary being Leon’s Legacy.