When I first signed up to play in this charity match, the reason was fairly simple, and fairly selfish. After hanging up my boots more than ten years ago and letting my fitness slide further than I'd care to admit, I needed a reason to lace them up again. A match in the diary felt like exactly the push I needed.

Not long after, everything changed. Katie, a colleague of almost eleven years and a friend for every one of them, passed away after one of the bravest fights with cancer I have ever seen. For as long as she possibly could, she refused to let it dictate her life or her routine. She stayed strong, stayed herself, and faced it with a courage I'll never forget.

When she could fight no more, Nightingale House Hospice was there. Not only for her in those final days, but for her family and her children too, and they continue to support them through the hardest of times, long after.

That is what this hospice does. The funds raised go towards vital services that reach far beyond end-of-life care, supporting families right across our community. Every penny makes a real difference to people who need it most.

So what began as a bit of personal motivation now means a great deal more. I'd be hugely grateful for anything you can give. Every donation, big or small, helps Nightingale House continue the incredible work they do in Katie's memory and for so many others like her.