Foundation of Light take on Northumbria Police in Game of II Halves charity match

A Foundation of Light XI took on Northumbria Police FC in a charity match for the Game of II Halves project at Downhill Football Hub.

The team made up of Foundation of Light staff, participants, supporters, and Game of II Halves ambassadors was brought together by the charity’s Sports Development Officer, Phil Hubbard, as the second of his four-part fundraising challenge.

Game of II Halves targets men aged 16 and over in Sunderland, offering them skills, confidence, and knowledge needed to lead mentally resilient lives.

Working with key partner, Samaritans of Sunderland, the project recruits ambassadors, equipping them with everything they need to promote positive mental health messages and to reduce stigma associated with self-harm and suicide.

Phil was inspired by his own prior mental health struggles, and the loss of people close to him, to embark on a challenge which started with the Thessaloniki Half Marathon earlier this month and will end with a 50km Ultramarathon in January.

Northumbria Police FC, who take part in national emergency services football competitions, as well as a series of charity friendlies, came out of the blocks quickly and raced into a 2-0 lead.

Foundation of Light ended the first period well, pulling a goal back, and carried the momentum into the second half with two quick goals to hit the front.

However, the momentum switched again, and with the game poised at 4-4 heading into the final stages, the Northumbria Police skipper found the top left corner from 25 yards with just minutes to play.

“It’s everything that Game of II Halves is about, men coming together from different parts of the city, different parts of society, and raising money for a good cause,” Phil said on setting up the match.

“I don’t know if I’d be here without football, I don’t know if I’d be here without the support of the Game of II Halves. This is what it’s about, there’s two groups of people who never met each other, stood together having a chat before they go home.”

Steve Brindley, Game of II Halves Delivery Officer at the Foundation of Light, added: “It was great fun. While this was a charity football match with the purpose of raising some funds, I think it was so much more than that.

“Football was the vehicle for bringing people together and they all understood the importance that men don’t talk enough about the stuff that’s really going on in their lives, it just doesn’t come out, and everyone here tonight recognised the importance of, while they don’t do it, it should be the most normal thing in the world to do.

“The Game of II Halves project can use events like this to normalise the conversations that need to be had.”

Phil’s Fundraiser – Click Here

Result: Northumbria Police 5-4 Foundation of Light

Foundation of Light Squad: Craig Foster, Bryan Brindley, Daniel Toal, Ted Knaggs, Rees Greenwood, Russel Ward, Luke Ramsey, Craig Leighton, Kevin Westphal, Jamie Hutton, Joshua Reedman, Bryan Wood, Liam Kendall, Liam Oliver

Goal Scorers: Ted Knaggs, Rees Greenwood, Russel Ward, Luke Ramsey

Men of the Match: Rees Greenwood and Craig Leighton