Footballers try different sport for air ambulance (From Swindon Advertiser)

Footballers try different sport for air ambulance

8:50am Saturday 22nd September 2012 in News By Matthew Edwards

FOOTBALLERS have chipped in to do their part for local charity Wiltshire Air Ambulance .

Members of the Swindon Town first team stepped up to the tee in a bid to hit a golf ball into a bucket 20 metres away.

The event, which took place at the cricket pitch next to the County Ground , was to raise money for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, the club’s designated charity of the year for the second year running.

Today members of the club are to present the charity with a cheque for £20,684 which they raised last year.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance needs £2,000 a day to keep the helicopter in the air.

All the players took a shot, which cost them £5 a ball.

Matt Ritchie took six shots but it wasn't enough to beat Gary Roberts who hit the winning ball and won the prize of a model Wiltshire Air Ambulance helicopter.

Town captain Alan McCormack said it was important for the players to support local charities. He said: “It is important for everyone at the club to be affiliated to such a good cause. The air ambulance does good work for so many people so we try and give something back.”

Winger Luke Rooney said: “It is all for the charity. As footballers we are in a very privileged job so it is always good to give something to the people who support us.

“We’ve just had lunch after training so to have something like this where we can have a laugh is good for morale.”

Goalkeeper Wes Fodering-ham put his ball into the bushes twice. He said: “This is the first time I’ve ever played golf. I’m just glad that I hit the ball””

The air ambulance’s head of fundraising Caroline Corrigan said: “For us it is important to have such great support and, with their fan base, our charity gets out to thousands of people.

“The players have all been great nd have been spreading the word on Facebook and Twitter. It has been great fun working with them.”