An extravaganza of football at Newry Showgrounds has resulted in over £6,000 raised for a local suicide and mental health awareness charity.
Organised by bespoke clothing brand Playr-fit, dozens of teams from local businesses took part in the two-day, five-a-side tournament in June.
It was the second year the highly-successful competition has taken place with PIPS Hope and Support the beneficiary on both occasions.
An amazing total of £6,120 was raised for the charity, which is Playr-fit’s corporate partner.
Padraig Harte from PIPS Hope and Support said the huge sum will go towards helping the organisation carry out its vital work.
“A heartfelt thank you goes out to our corporate partner, the incredible Playr-fit, for their exceptional organising and hosting of an unforgettable two-day Business 5s Football Tournament,” said Padraig.
“This event was specifically designed to raise awareness and funds in support of our charity, and we are grateful for everyone’s involvement.
“The Playr-fit team has generously provided our staff with workwear, for which we are truly grateful. Their unwavering dedication to supporting local causes has been commendable, and we feel privileged to be one of the fortunate recipients of their charitable endeavours.
“Their unwavering support as their charity partner for two years has made a significant impact on PIPS Hope and Support, and we are forever indebted to them.”
Darren McPolin and Ethan McGarry from Playr-fit visited the PIPS office on Mill Street this month to present the huge to cheque to the charity.
Padraig added: “Their generosity and dedication to our cause are truly commendable, and we cannot express our gratitude enough.
“We would also like to extend our thanks to the numerous businesses that participated in the tournament and showed their unwavering support for our charity. The overwhelming kindness and support we continued to receive from the community have touched our hearts deeply.
“Once again, we extend our sincerest appreciation to Playr-fit and all those involved in making this event a resounding success. Your contributions have made a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve, and we are truly grateful for your continued support.”
Darren McPolin from Playr-fit said they were delighted to deliver the initiatives to assist the vital services that PIPS Hope and Support provides.
“This was our second year running the event and it was even better than last year with more teams participating meaning more bespoke jerseys designs and even more money and awareness raised for PIPS.
“A massive thanks to all businesses that got involved for the cause helping make it a major success, we probably could have run a day 3 with the amount of interest we had. Also, a special thanks to DELI LITES and The Classic Mineral Water company for sponsoring food and water towards the event.
“It is great using football and sport in general to bring so many people in the community together for a great cause.
“We know the money will go a long way helping Padraig and the team continue the great work they do.
