Acrisure Nottingham has chosen Sands United FC Nottingham as its 2026 Charity of the Year – dedicating a year of fundraising to the local football team, made up of fathers and family members, impacted by baby loss.

Staff are set to get involved in events such as bi-annual bake-offs and its highly anticipated charity quiz. It marks the first time it has selected a charity focusing on men’s health and wellbeing as our Charity of the Year.

Sands United FC Nottingham was founded by Sands charity Trustee and bereaved father Raj Chagger. Raj sadly lost his son Riaan to a rare condition in November 2020, and quickly noticed limited support for dads dealing with baby loss. It was this firsthand experience that drove Raj to create a safe and low-pressure space for men to come together and form a community.

It was established in January 2023 and hosted its first meet up the same year in March. Given the universal appeal of football, Raj’s team is a way to bring men together in an informal setting to build relationships and feel at ease talking about grief when they feel ready to do so. The team now has 65 members, with men coming from across the East Midlands to get involved.