Stars pitch in for Charlotte (From Herald Series)
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Stars pitch in for Charlotte
7:00am Thursday 21st March 2013 in News
By Emma Harrison, Reporter covering Rose Hill, Littlemore and Iffley. Contact me on 01865 425430
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BIG MATCH: United defender Michael Duberry meets Charlotte Nott at half-time of the League Two clash with Chesterfield on Saturday
OXFORD United legends are limbering up for a special match to raise cash for two worthy causes.
They will take on a team from the Charlbury-based charity SpecialEffect next month to support the charity and the Charlotte Nott Trust Fund.
Fans have the chance to captain each team by bidding for two places online. The auction closes at 3pm on Friday.
Among those players lining up for the U’s will be manager Chris Wilder, former goalkeeper Phil Whitehead and first-team coach Andy Melville.
SpecialEffect will be represented by the likes of former U’s director Jim Rosenthal and ex-U’s striker Steve Basham, who currently plies his trade for Oxford City.
Organiser Brendon Cross, vice president of SpecialEffect and a former U’s director, said: “It’s really important to raise as much money as we can. We will do that through the auction of the captains’ armbands and ticket sales but also we have a few surprises.
“SpecialEffect helps severely disabled young people enjoy computer games and this game will also help young Charlotte Nott who lost four limbs to meningitis. We hope for a large crowd.”
Mr Cross will manage SpecialEffect and ex-U’s player Peter Rhoades-Brown will take charge of the legends.
Five-year-old Charlotte lost the lower part of her arms and legs after contracting meningitis in 2010.
The Horspath Primary School pupil’s family continues to fundraise for new prosthetic legs as she grows.
Her mum Jenny Daniels, 31, of Cowley, said: “We have been to SpecialEffect a number of times. Charlotte plays on their games and we borrowed one of their games consoles.”
Charlotte and her family watched as the U’s went down 1-0 to Chesterfield in League Two on Saturday.
The charity match kicks off at 1pm on Sunday, April 14, at Oxford City Football Club’s ground in Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane. Tickets are £5 for adults, £2.50 concessions and children under five are free. To buy tickets or to bid for the team places, visit specialeffect.org.uk/events/legends
