St Andrew's Hospice tasted a spirited five-figure donation thanks to the kindness of two of Scotland's leading drinks businesses.
Airdrie-based International Beverage and Bellshill's William Grant & Sons raised a remarkable £16,000 for the hospice during a charity football match at Airdrieonians FC's Excelsior Stadium.
The friendly achieved its fundraising goal at it attracted more than 200 spectators from the local community, who generously bought tickets and donated at the door.
The £8000 raised from ticket sales and donations on the night was then matched by both companies, meaning a total of £16,000 was donated to the Airdrie charity after the game.
The two teams brushed off their boots, sharpened their ball skills and donned their strips to go head-to-head in front of their cheering fans.
The William Grant & Sons’ team triumphed with a 3-1 win and speeches, trophy presentations and the man of the match awards added to a brilliant atmosphere for players and supporters alike.
Eileen Rae, business support manager at International Beverage, and one of the event's organisers, told Lanarkshire Live : "The drinks industry is known for its camaraderie, so we were delighted to team up with William Grant & Sons to raise money for a very deserving charity.
"The generosity of fans and the community spirit on the night was fantastic and despite our defeat, we would love to make this an annual event and steal back that trophy!
"My wholehearted thanks goes to everyone involved for bringing our values of teamwork and community to the fore for this very special evening.”
Craig Cranmer, group operations director from William Grant & Sons, added : “A huge thank you to everyone who was involved in this event - from the organisers to the players.
"It’s a great example of how important teamwork is in local communities. We are delighted to support St Andrew’s Hospice and support the work that they do.”
John Brady, the hospice's head of fundraising, said: "We are absolutely delighted to benefit from the generosity of these two fine drinks businesses.
“Whilst the football was competitive, the generous spirit of everyone attending, and those who bought a match ticket or raffle ticket, or made a donation, deserves our heartfelt thanks.
"And huge thanks to International Beverage and William Grant & Sons for matching the amounts raised on the night.
"This money will allow us to deliver care and compassion to Lanarkshire patients, and their families.”
* Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!
