Shrivenham Football Club has agreed a two-year partnership with a charity which helps ill children in memory of a Swindon policemen.

The partnership with Fatboys will begin at the start of the 2020-21 season. The charity formed in 1999 in memory of PC Mike ‘Fatboy’ Lawles, a police officer in Swindon who died of cancer at the age of just 31.

Fatboys helps children who are battling with cancer and leukaemia by purchasing Christmas gifts for them to raise their spirits during a difficult time.

It has put smiles on the faces of thousands of young people over the last 21 years.

Charity chairman Mike Rees said: "Quite often, the families of those children can be financially affected as parents have to give up work in order to facilitate almost daily transport to and from hospital for treatment so the charity can take a little bit of the strain from them at what can be an even more difficult time of the year for everyone involved.

The club will use this year’s August Scarecrow Trail in support of last season’s chosen charity, Pennyhooks Farm before focusing its fundraising efforts on the new partnership with Fatboys.

Mike added: “We are truly humbled by Shrivenham’s decision to adopt us as their chosen charity for the next two years.

“In these difficult times everyone is financially affected, especially charitable organisations, so to have this support means we are able to carry on the work we do.

“We have seen the excellent work that the football club have done within the community during this pandemic and have been impressed with their strong response to the need for help from certain sections of the community.

“This makes them a very attractive partner for us and with their flourishing youth section, linking up with them will give us a far wider audience so we are extremely grateful for their support.”

Shrivenham FC chairman Matt Hirst said: “It goes without saying that the Fatboys charity does some exceptionally important fundraising for children affected by cancer.

“This is a disease that we all - almost without exception, have been touched by and being a parent to three children and having seen my own dad lose his battle with the disease, it is also something that has had a direct impact on my life.

“It was harrowing to see what dad went through so I can only imagine how families must feel seeing their children facing the same situation.

"It is almost unbearable to think about, but those people are out there so if we can help in our own little way, there’s no question that we should get involved.”

For more information, visit fatboyscharity.co.uk