Lightning Fibre vs Openreach Charity Football Match and Raffle Raises Over £2,000 for Children with Cancer Fund, Polegate.

Despite what many people may think, Lightning Fibre and Openreach do actually get along! When Lightning Fibre first proposed the idea of a friendly football match against a company that is often perceived as a natural rival, Openreach were very happy to take part in the face-off, especially as the money raised was to be donated to local charity, Children with Cancer Fund.

In the light of cooperation and fundraising, Eastbourne Borough Football Club very kindly allowed the match to take place on their pitch. Lightning Fibre employees Chris and Nicola Funnel, with help from their family and colleagues, arranged the venue, ticket sales, children’s entertainment, and a raffle after the match. The turnout was impressive and ticket sales alone generated a large portion of the money. The rest came from donations and raffle ticket sales.

Children with Cancer Fund, in Polegate, is at the heart of the local community and offers great relief for the families of children living with cancer in the area.

“Our aim is to grant wishes to children up to the age of eighteen, and their families, who have, or have had, cancer and who primarily live in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove.Wishes can be practical, medical or fun and made to individual families as well as supporting a group together by giving them quality family time. We can also support local hospitals and community nurses who assist in the care of the children under our remit.”  Children with Cancer Fund – Polegate.

In 2015, Children with Cancer Fund was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, a very proud moment in the charity’s life. The award highlights their dedication to what they believe in, and the foundations of the charity devoting their efforts to supporting the children and families associated with them.

Lightning Fibre is a huge local success story, and since it was founded in Eastbourne in 2018, the company that has seen rapid growth in a very short amount of time, with almost 200 employees, it has provided many local jobs to those living within East Sussex. So as a local champion, Lightning Fibre is keen to present itself as a company that demonstrates care and interest in the local communities of the towns in which they operate. This is evident in the devotion of their staff who frequently get involved in helping local causes such as the Children with Cancer Fund. Other local charities such as the hospices of St. Wilfrid’s in Eastbourne, and St. Michael’s in Hastings, have also benefited from their association with Lighting Fibre.

Fundraising efforts have been made on behalf of these charities not only to provide them with much needed funding, but also to demonstrate Lightning Fibre’s willingness to take part in the everyday workings of the community.

Openreach maintains and develops a national phone and broadband network – including pipes and cables – and sells products and services to communications providers.  

Photo: Issy and the Children with Cancer Fund team, pictured with Lightning Fibre CEO Ben Ferriman and Chris and Nicola Funnel the event organisers, were delighted to accept the cheque for £2,018.00.