THE HEARTBROKEN widow of an inspirational Sunday League football manager who died earlier this year has thanked the community following the huge success of a charity cricket match in memory of his life.
Christine Albone, 61, lost her husband Vaughn in January when he died at the age of 63 following a long battle with cancer.
In his memory, two Sunday League sides in Malvern swapped their boots for pads and bats on Sunday to raise money for St Richard’s Hospice – the charity which cared for Vaughn and his family during his illness.
The Gloster Arms, who Vaughn guided to a league title last year, and Malvern Radar played the T20 game at Barnards Green Cricket Club in front of a packed crowd and the emotional family and friends of Christine and Vaughn.
Radar FC went on to win the close-fought match by 16 runs and took home the ‘Vaughn Albone Trophy’. But more importantly a total of £600 was raised for St Richard’s Hospice on the day.
Vaughn raised more than £30,000 in his lifetime for charities including Cancer Research UK, Acorn’s Children’s Hospice, Children’s Chronic Arthritis Association and St Richard’s Hospice.
And his death came just months after he raised more than £1,000 for the hospice when he bravely completed his fund-raising mission to get to the top of the Malvern Hills in his wheelchair.
Christine also announced on the day money raised from The Big Push and at Vaughn’s funeral meant more than £7,000 was handed over to the hospice.
She told the Observer: “Sunday was an emotional rollercoaster for me. I have never been kissed and hugged so much in my life.
“It was a brilliant afternoon. The only sad part was Vaughn was not there in person to see it, although I am 99 per cent sure he was there in spirit.
“All my family from Bournemouth came and Vaughn’s family from Gloucester attended and it was nice for everyone to get together.
“Vaughn would have been over the moon to see the money we raised for the hospice. The help they gave him was second to none and they deserve every penny they get.
“We received plenty of support from friends and family as well as those who did not even know him.”
The Gloster Arms football team was founded in 2014 and was named after the pub on Merton Road with Vaughn instilled as the club’s first manager.
To keep Vaughn’s memory alive, the charity cricket match will be played every year.
Phil Smalley, one of a number of organisers, expressed his thanks to everybody who took part.
“The cricketers enjoyed a fantastic afternoon in the sun and I’d like to thank Kath Wood, Mick Clack, Andy Harris and Jeremy Clarke for all their help,” he said.
“I’m sure Vaughn would have been very proud of the overall spirit of the afternoon. Roll on next year.
“To top a wonderful and emotional afternoon off, a young boy I passed on Pickersleigh Road in his cricket whites heading to Barnards Green stopped me and put 50p in the St Richard’s Hospice bucket.
“It was totally unexpected and showed the generosity of the people of Malvern.”
