Leicester trio's football goal to raise cash for Leicester Mercury Loros appeal

Up to 100 football teams will be sharing just one goal – to raise cash for the Leicester Mercury Loros Appeal.

The hospice could receive between £2,000 and £4,000 from the five-a-side tournament being organised by three teenagers. The team that comes out on top will win an executive box, with 12 seats, at the Leicester City v Reading match at the Walkers Stadium on March 24.

Sumeet Champaneri, Gurdeep Kokri and Kishen Popat want to raise cash for the Groby Road hospice before they head to university.

good cause

The three, who finished at Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College, University Road, Leicester, in June, are backing the Mercury appeal, which aims to raise the final £450,000 needed to fund the hospice's new extension.

Sumeet, 19, from Syston, said: "We're on a gap year and we wanted to raise money for a good cause.

"We love football, and Loros seems like a brilliant cause, so we came up with the idea of a football tournament. We went to speak to Loros about it and the ball is really rolling.

"We have some prizes, including a box at the Leicester and Reading match in the spring for the winners. Quite a few teams are interested. We expect between 50 and 100 teams."

Kishen, 18, of Thurmaston, said: "I like Loros because it's a local charity and probably needs more help than the big national charities.

"Last year, I saw some people collecting for Loros at a supermarket and I asked how I could get involved. I went to a couple of events last year to help with collections. There's satisfaction in helping other people."

The tournament will be on Sunday, February 21, at Goals Soccer Centre, in Wakerley Road, Leicester.

Loros corporate fund-raiser Marisa Spiteri said: "These lads just came in because they wanted to help. They did a great job of arranging everything and getting prizes."

The Leicester Mercury Loros campaign has raised almost £140,000. We are continuing our appeal until we have collected £450,000.

To take part in the five-a-side contest, open to players aged 16 and over, call Sumeet 07816 086555.

For information about Loros events, call Marisa on 0116 231 8431.

If you have an event planned, let us know by calling Gemma Peplow on 0116 222 4265, or e-mailing:

gemmapeplow@leicestermercury.co.uk