Chris Phillips has completed a 10-hour padel marathon, raising over £10,000 for a new Southend United mental health initiative. The event at the new BreakPoint centre in Rochford saw a host of former players, celebrities, and club staff join in to support the cause.
Former Southend United players Jack Bridge, Steve Tilson, Neil Harris and Tom Hopper all took part. They were joined by Britain's Got Talent finalist Sonny Green, social media personalities Alexis LOS and RonnieTGall, and popular chef Callum Doyle. Club mascot Sammy the Shrimp, youth team chief Danny Heath, ladies players Hannah Stone and Sophie Stack, and interim boss Dan Mann also participated.
The funds will go towards the new 'United Minds' programme, launched by Phillips and the Southend United Community Foundation. This scheme, backed by Andy's Man Club and SECE Mind, will provide mental health training and support to local organisations.
Phillips’s charity milestone
This latest effort brings Phillips close to a personal milestone of £200,000 raised for charity overall. The padel challenge was sponsored by c2c and BTMK, and donations can still be made via his JustGiving page. Phillips said he was unsure what his next fundraising task would be.
The community effort comes as the first team continues its strong push for promotion. Southend United currently sit third in the National League standings with 24 points from 12 games, having won 3-1 against AFC Fylde last time out. The team's recent form is strong, with 10 goals scored in their last three matches, averaging over 3 goals per game during that period. The squad will be looking to maintain their momentum as they chase an automatic promotion spot.
Phillips's JustGiving page remains open for further donations to the United Minds programme.
The original report is at Yahoo
