Almost £4,000 has been raised at an annual memorial match held in memory of a Benfleet man.
Ollie Bibby, 27, tragically passed away in May 2021 after a battle with acute myeloid leukaemia and enduring a failed bone marrow transplant.
On Saturday, the third annual football match in memory of Ollie was held at The Len Forge Centre, in Southend.
The Ollie Bibby Memorial Cup raised almost £4,000 for the Willow Foundation, who help poorly people between 16-40 make memories.
Mum, Penny Bibby, said the annual event for Ollie is something that "keeps the family going".
She said: “This yearly event is so important as it gives back to a charity that Ollie supported.
“They gave him an amazing day meeting the Arsenal team at their training ground; he spoke about this day often.
“It means a lot. It brought everyone together to remember Ollie and share memories.
“The event is filled with love, and it was like one big hug for us all to help us keep going.
"We would also like to thank the Benfleet community for their support and businesses for donating raffle prizes."
In 2016, Ollie, from Benfleet, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells. He entered remission for four years before relapsing in July 2020.
Ollie had a bone marrow transplant in August 2020 but began feeling unwell around Christmas.
He was then diagnosed with graft versus host disease after bone marrow cells started attacking his body. Sadly, Ollie then passed away in May 2021.
To donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/penelope-bibby-1729241216768
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