FOOTBALL fans have raised close to £12,000 for St Luke’s Hospice over the last two years.

Northwich 1874 Community Football Club and its supporters are at the top of their game when it comes to fundraising, donating a grand total of £11,831 to the hospice based in Winsford.

Angela Slack, community partnerships manager at St Luke’s, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the amazing support we have received from Northwich 1874 over the past two seasons.

“As their chosen charity, they have supported St Luke’s not only financially, but with their time and enthusiasm and nothing has ever seemed too much to ask.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with them and we wish the club all the best in its fundraising for its new chosen charity.”

As part of their charitable efforts, the club held bucket collections at matches, a sports quiz, raffles and two successful car boot and family fun days.

Their fans have supported St Luke’s Christmas appeal by donating hundreds of chocolate selection boxes for use during the ‘Santa on Tour’ grotto bookings.

The club also organised an ‘Extreme Ironing Board Challenge’ which saw an ironing board carried by car, foot and bike to a number of public events, including the 13 miles of St Luke’s Midnight Walk.

It was also carried up Snowdon by a team of supporters who symbolically ironed a Northwich 1874 shirt when they reached the summit.

Steve Richardson, from Northwich 1874 Community Football Club, said: “It has been an immense pleasure to support St Luke’s Hospice over the last two years. Since our inception an underlying remit of our football club has been to work with and support our local community. St Luke’s Hospice epitomises everything about this.

“Whilst our official charity partnership link may be coming to an end, we have made great friends at the Hospice and will ensure than the links forged will be maintained in the future.”