Mersey Marauders FC are asking for donations to Marie Curie hospice in memory of Mersey Marauder player, committee member and friend to all of us, Gavin Whitfield, who passed away following a battle with cancer.

Gav joined the Mersey Marauders in 2018, and immediately threw himself into Marauders life. Gavin became Commercial Officer on our Committee, and was instrumental in organising the GFSN national football tournament here in Liverpool in summer 2019. He single-handedly managed to bag Liverpool's Town Hall for the evening social event – nothing smaller would do, and it was a fantastic night!

Gav was passionate at promoting and driving our Club forward. He did not shy away from the limelight – and made appearances in the Liverpool Echo, BBC Radio Merseyside and even on Granada Reports! Gavin was a fierce competitor on the pitch too. He was not shy of a tackle and a word with the opposition, ref or even his own team! The no 25 shirt will always be Gavin's.

Gav loved socialising, and always travelled around the UK with the Club to play in away matches. In Summer 2019 he travelled with a group of Marauders to Rome to play in a European tournament, which he loved every minute of. Gavin was funny, caring and intelligent, he had many close friends on the team. He will be dearly missed by us all.

Marie Curie Hospice in Liverpool gave Gavin outstanding care in the latter stages of his life. We are asking for donations to Marie Curie in his memory. 

Here is some more information about the vital work they do:

'At the Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool, we give expert care to people with a terminal illness, and their loved ones every day of the year. Our hospice team includes doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers and many more, and is supported by local people who freely volunteer their time and energy to help us run the hospice. As well as being a place where people can stay to get the expert care they need in a friendly and homely setting, we also support people visiting with clinics and therapies. These include yoga, exercise classes and relaxation. People using the day unit can also get together over a freshly cooked lunch from our chefs. Relatives and friends can visit any time of the day or night, and stay with their loved ones if they wish to. We need to raise £6,397 per day to run the hospice, so every penny counts. Thank you for helping to make sure more people with a terminal illness in in Liverpool, get the care and support they need.'

Our thoughts are with all of Gavin's family and friends, and his partner Adam during this time.