A RAFFLE organised by Settle United AFC has raised £1,500 for mental health charity MIND.

The fundraiser was run in the lead-up to Christmas with prizes worth more than £3,500 up for grabs with volunteers selling over 900 tickets in just four weeks prior to the festive season.

Ryan Glynn and his partner Mel were announced as the winners of the main prize, worth £2,790, live on Facebook. Ryan said: “I was out in the car with my partner Mel at the time and we actually pulled over to watch the winners get announced. We couldn’t believe it when we heard my name and this made our first Christmas together one to remember. Thank you to Settle United AFC and to everyone who entered to raise a fantastic amount of money for such important causes.”

The hampers were made up of donations from a wide variety of local businesses in Settle and in such difficult times for the town’s retail and hospitality sector this was a brilliant act of kindness by so many independent businesses.

There was even a touch of celebrity input when former Wigan midfielder and Soccer AM pundit Jimmy Bullard supported the club with a short video promoting the raffle on the club’s social media channels and the winners were announced just ahead of the big day.

The club’s head of marketing, James Hamer, who organised the fundraising activity said: “Mental health is such an important topic and even more so for young men, who are the biggest group of people to commit suicide. We’re over the moon to have raised so much money for MIND and to have helped get rid of some of the stigma of talking about not being okay at the same time.

“The support we had from the business community in the area to help us compile the prizes has been incredible. We are lucky that businesses support the club throughout the year and it’s great that we’ve been able to convert some of that support into much-needed funds for charity too.

“We have lots of exciting plans to grow a successful football club in our community and it’s a great time to be a part of a club that has over 50 men signed on to play with us.”

Settle United AFC strives to be a positive part of the community and is working with key local partners to help provide support during lockdown. It has also donated club merchandise to Settle Swimming Pool to help them continue to fund this vital community facility in the town.

MIND provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.

For more information on the charity, visit www.mind.org.uk or call their helpline on 0330 123 3393.

Established in 1884 Settle United AFC is an amateur football club playing games in the Craven District Football League at its home ground, Bridge End. https://www.settleunitedafc.co.uk/