Hi all, I'm Mitch Stafford a coach for the Under 15s football team at Uttoxeter Juniors Football Club and a Firefighter for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. I have coached football since I was 16 (many many moons ago) and have been a coach for Uttoxeter juniors since 2015. I have been a Firefighter for 20 years for two different services. A mad moment one Wednesday night, in my head I thought, why not bring the two things that rule my life together for some good. So I would like to raise £1000 for the club I enjoy coaching and raise the money by running The Uttoxeter Half Marathon in full Firefighter clothing including BA set and helmet.

Uttoxeter Juniors football club has been a part of the community for decades and has encouraged and developed children's interest in football for generations. The club is a huge part of the community and will be for years to come. But the club is in need of some equipment to help continue its success.

Elkes Sport & Social club is the home of Uttoxeter Juniors and is a safe space to coach football to all ages. But the club is in desperate need of substitute benches and training equipment. What we have found over time is that on long, cold, damp winter match days players are cold, wet and miserable whilst waiting to get on the pitch to play, which is never great for the team. We also have found that balls are lost over hedges, walls and fences at a huge cost to the club each year. By raising the £1000 needed we will install ball retention netting which will save the club money in lost balls. We will also purchase some more up to date training equipment to ensure the club coach to the highest standard possible.

Uttoxeter Juniors has always been a successful club and will be for years to come, but this is only down to the amazing volunteers that help coach, organise and maintain child and player safety day in day out. Uttoxeter Juniors is ran by a special team of volunteers that are extremely passionate about future generations enjoying football.

I enjoy finding weird and wonderful ways to challenge myself from Cycling to Devon from Uttoxeter in 18 hours, to running around with a log on my shoulder. I thought this will be a nice challenge to test myself which will be for a local community club at a local community half marathon.

Any Money donated will be greatly appreciated and will go along way in ensuring future generations will continue to be successful. It will put a huge smile on my face knowing that the equipment bought for the club through donations will be used and appreciated by coaches and players.

Thank you for reading my story and thank you for your donation.

Cheers Mitch Stafford