As some of you already know, I have been selected to represent my country at the 2018 Over 35's Men's Hockey Home Nations in Lisnagarvey, Northern Ireland in June, and at the 2018 Masters World Cup in Terrassa (Barcelona), Spain, in July / August.

I am incredibly proud to have achieved this and could not have done so without the support of my friends, past and current team-mates and coaches, as well as my family. Unfortunately, the cost of participation in these events is fairly significant, and is entirely self funded. Not only do we have to cover tournament entry fees, travel and accommodation, there are a number of training days & weekends back in the UK in order to prepare for the tournaments, and the cost of these is mounting up. As a goalkeeper, protective equipment is also a priority and there are parts of my kit that might require replacement prior to the tournaments. Anyone who has involvement in hockey will understand that this equipment comes at significant cost.

Any support, however small, towards these events would be sincerely appreciated as it will allow me to realise a lifelong dream of representing my country at hockey. Due to the value of the England Hockey brand, we are unfortunately but understandably restricted in terms of exposure for possible sponsors when attending official functions and games, however if anyone is interested in a sponsorship opportunity, I will do all I can to represent your brand in local and social media in the lead-up to, during and after the events.

I would also like to add that if I exceed my stated target for fundraising, any extra monies received will be donated equally to two charities very close to my heart: Macmillan Cancer Support and Diabetes UK

Thank you to all who take the time to read this story

Al