Supporters generously donated to a bucket collection at the game between the Rocks and Hornchurch, which the hosts were unlucky to lose 2-1.

And before the match, the charity’s Nicky Clark was on hand to accept a cheque for £550 from the club’s very own walking football team, Boulders FC.

Rocks chief steward Adrian Williams and the players as well as Pete Moss (treasurer) Terry Kill (secretary), David Ryan and Pete Robinson raised the money for the organisation, which is based in Dover Lane, Arundel, through a walking football tournament on the Nyewood Lane pitch between the Boulders and teams from Havant, Gosport, Mountbatten (Portsmouth), Selsey, Portsmouth. The Boulders previously raised £1,087 for the same charity!

Rocks general manager Simon Cook said: “The work that Chestnut Tree House does is so important and we are very pleased to be able to try to contribute in whatever way we can in terms of welcoming them to the game so that they raise much-needed funding and trying to spread the word about the invaluable work the hospice staff do for the very deserving children.”

Chestnut Tree House is the children’s hospice for Sussex and South East Hampshire. Thanks to support from the local community, children and families who know they don’t have long together have the chance to live life to the full and say goodbye in the way that is right for them.

The generosity of the local community makes this happen. Over £5million is needed every year to provide hospice care for local children and their families. Very little of this comes from the government. The rest comes from the amazing donations the charity receives, fundraising, gifts in wills, shops, the Chestnut Tree House lottery and volunteering.

*The Boulders are staging another tournament at MKM Arena, Nyewood Lane on 28th April. Adrian said: “Thanks to Jack Pearce for giving us the go ahead for this, and thanks to Carol Taylor at youth set up for allowing us to use goals. We hope to do one or two tournaments a year.”

Picture TOMMY McMILLAN