SPORTS fans will be in their element at a special raffle to raise money for cancer research.
Chris Lines, a director of Tyneside-based PR and marketing agency Press Ahead, has organised the ultimate sporting raffle to raise money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.
The prizes on offer are the stuff sports fans dream of with football legend David Beckham donating an England football shirt that he will dedicate to the winner and sign.
And there is a signed tennis racket from star Andy Murray.
Also up for grabs is a framed photograph of Steve Cram, Seb Coe and Steve Ovett in action at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, signed by all three athletes. And climbing legend Sir Chris Bonington has donated a signed copy of his much admired book, Mountaineer. Mr Lines, who is also holding a fundraising event at Sedgefield Racecourse alongside the raffle draw on October 29, is doing so all in memory of his mother Margaret who died of cancer in October 2009.
He said: “By the time we draw this raffle, it will be two years since we lost mum – everyone in the family misses her enormously and thinks about her every day.
“We know that far too many people are affected by this awful disease and through this, I really hope that we can raise a lot of money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.
“The charity does fantastic work on the early detection and treatment of cancer and trialling the new drugs that will eventually beat it.”
Also making up the raffle prizes is a box for 10 people at Newcastle Racecourse at a future race meeting and Durham County Cricket Club are providing tickets for T20 action next season. Other prizes include a selection of outdoor kit offered by Berghaus, a £50 Marks & Spencer voucher donated by Chris’ father Peter, a bottle of House of Lords whisky and a bottle of single malt Glenlivet whisky.
“I am fortunate that the kind of work I do means I have some very useful contacts for this kind of thing and I am hugely grateful for the amazing prize donations that I have received,” said Chris.
“Mum was a passionate sports fan and if she was still with us, I know that she would be keen to win one or two of the prizes herself,” he added.
The raffle tickets are £5 for a book, or £1 each, and available from Chris Lines, who can be reached on 07971 868329 or chrisjlines@aol.com
The raffle will be drawn at a special charity fundraising event at Sedgefield Racecourse on October 29.
