A girl with her back to the camera looks out at the football tournament

The day saw 50 teams descend upon Esher Football Club, including DJR Coaching, Claygate Royals, Esher FC, AFC Kingston Youth, Vision Girls, PJK, Wandgas FC, and the Met Police, who had all taken part in previous years. The tournament raised just over £3000 from ticket sales, donations, bar sales and a raffle.

It was one of the hottest days of the year so far, but everyone was in good spirits, enjoying the friendly competition. Kells Kitchen provided the refreshments and the event was supported by volunteers from Fontana, St John Ambulance, the Surbiton Rotary and Momentum.

Oliver, 11, from Greater London, took part in the tournament with his teammates from the Motspur Park Lions. Oliver and his parents are being supported by our bereavement service, Momentum Echoes, after his brother James very sadly died last year.

Talking about the event and Momentum’s support, Oliver and James’s mum, Laura said: “It was a very hot day, but it was good fun. Oliver enjoyed the tournament, and his team were playing in the age group above theirs and made it all the way to the final! My husband is the coach for their team, so he was very proud, so was I. Oliver also won a day at a Fontana Soccer football camp in the raffle so that added to the excitement.”

Laura continued: “It was a very emotional weekend, as it marked the first anniversary of James’ death. The constants for Oliver in the past year have been football, school, and his friends so events like this are great. It helped all of us to do something positive during a tough weekend and to be able to give something back to Momentum after they have done so much for us.”

Victoria Futcher, Corporate Fundraising Manager at Momentum said: “A big thank you to Fontana Soccer for their continued support and for the time and effort they put into making this such a brilliant day for those taking part. This event couldn’t happen without all the volunteers who generously donated their time. This tournament has become a highlight in our fundraising calendar, and it was wonderful to see Oliver, his parents, and other supported families there, as well as both new and returning teams all coming together to enjoy the event.”

Reflecting on the day, Joel Fontana, Head Coach & Director at Fontana Soccer Coaching said: “We were incredibly proud to bring together 50 teams for this year’s football tournament in support of Momentum Children’s Charity. This was our third annual tournament, with a record number of teams attending. Our team on the day consisted of 30 volunteer coaches from Fontana, the amazing Victoria and the team from Momentum, and the guys from Esher FC. It was a proud moment to receive such positive feedback about our tournament again.”

Joel added: “The Fontana x Momentum Tournament is designed to deliver a professional approach for the players, managers and teams on the day, with the aim of helping raise vital awareness and funds for the incredible work Momentum does to support families affected by childhood cancer, life-limiting conditions, and bereavement. We would like to thank every player, sponsor, volunteer, and supporter who helped make the tournament such a resounding success.”

With this year’s tournament proving such a success, preparations for next year’s event are already underway! If you would like to organise your event fundraising event for Momentum, you can find out more here