FOOTBALL legends joined forces with a local finance company to raise more than £10,000 for leukaemia sufferers with a five-a-side tournament. To celebrate its 10 years of business, Lifetime Financial Management has organised a number of events to raise fu

FOOTBALL legends joined forces with a local finance company to raise more than £10,000 for leukaemia sufferers with a five-a-side tournament.

To celebrate its 10 years of business, Lifetime Financial Management has organised a number of events to raise funds for the Anthony Nolan Trust which provides life-saving bone-marrow transplants and undertakes vital research.

The cause is close to the hearts of those at the company as a member of staff suffered from leukaemia and they have already held a donor day whereby employees, clients and the public gave a blood sample to go on the register.

As a keen football fan, the chief executive of Lifetime Paul Merrigan wanted to raise money through the sport and since one of their partners is a football association, they came up with the Goals Against Leukaemia event.

The football greats who took part in the day included Ray Parlour, Dean Holdsworth, Warren Barton, Chris Whyte, Luther Blisset and Steve Castle.

There were a total of 10 teams comprising of Lifetime, their clients and the Anthony Nolan Trust and each was headed by one of the professionals.

Legal and General won the tournament held at the OA Rugby Club in St Albans after playing the final against Intelligent Finance.

Renowned referees also took part as did sports presenter Matt Lorenzo who hosted the day, which included a celebrity panel question-and-answer session in the evening following the dinner.

Paul said: "There can be no better way of us celebrating 10 years in this business than by supporting the work of The Anthony Nolan Trust. Having an unforgettable day out with some football greats will really make a difference to people's lives. In the UK alone someone is diagnosed with leukaemia every 21 minutes, yet a bone marrow transplant offers hope to patients."

The next event to raise money for Lifetime's chosen charity is the Bupa 10k race next weekend in which a team of employees from around the group will run together in the hope of raising a further £5,000.