Ali Rainback Cup raises £4,000 for hospice (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Ali Rainback Cup raises £4,000 for hospice

12:20pm Sunday 5th July 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

MORE than 100 footballers laced up their boots during an emotional five-a-side tournament held in memory of Ali Rainback yesterday.

Ali, a ski instructor from Wheathampstead, spent the last seven weeks of his life at the Hospice of St Francis, where he sadly lost his seven-month battle with a brain tumour. The 36-year-old died on June 22, last year.

Almost a year to the day since Ali's funeral, his remarkable family continued their fundraising efforts by running the inaugural Ali Rainback Cup on Saturday.

'Team Rainback' – which included Ali's brother Simon, his sister-in-law, Jo, and his mum and dad, Diana and Ian – has raised a staggering £70,000 for the Berkhampsted hospice in the twelve months since Ali's death.

Speaking on Saturday, Simon said: “It has been a fantastic day. I don't even know how much money we have made today but it will probably be more than £4,000 on the day and we are having a barn dance tonight.

“It has been just amazing and obviously it has been very emotional as well.

“Ali loved football, it was his second passion after football and we wanted to do something he would have liked to have been part of.”

The tournament saw 18 teams, each including players with links to Ali, take each other at Kimpton Football Club. Fittingly, the hosts and local representatives, Kimpton Rovers, lifted the trophy.

Ali's mum, Diana, said the treatment her son received in his last weeks has proved an inspiration to the family.

She said: “Today has just been an amazing day. It has been fantastic.

“It has been great to meet so many of Ali's friends and to see so many people here for him.”

The Rainbacks are still raising money for the hospice, and aim to pass the £100,000 mark by the end of the year.

Ian, Ali's dad, added: “I think at the start we were originally going to try to raise less but Ali would have gone for the 'big one' so we went for the full £100,000.”

The money will go towards funding the hospice, which requires around £3 million in donations every year.

Dr Ros Taylor, who cared for Ali during his stay at the hospice, said the money they have raised would pay for one bed for a whole year.

She described the family's energy and enthusiasm as “incredible”.

She added: “I think this will become an annual event, which is lovely, because it means Ali will stay in the heart of Kimpton.”

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/alirainback.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)