Easter bonus as charities share cup success

Three charities have shared a £2000 FA Cup windfall after last season’s run in the world’s oldest cup competition by the Ryman League’s Metropolitan Police.

Thanks to the Surrey club’s meeting with Crawley in the FA Cup First Round, they received the funds from the FA’s Community Shield Fund to donate to local charities and community-based projects of their choice.

The cash is generated every August from ticket and match programme sales at the FA Community Shield fixture at Wembley with £248,000 shared between the 124 clubs who reach the First Round Proper.

Chertsey’s White Lodge Centre for children with disabilities, Milaap, a multicultural day centre in Kingston and the Kingston Race & Equalities Council, collected their cup bonuses on Easter Bank Holiday Monday after being chosen to benefit from the cup run by manager Jimmy Cooper and his side.

Metropolitan Police Chairman Des Flanders is pictured at Imber Court before their top flight clash with Maidstone United presenting Prabha Shetty from Milaap with her cheque with John Azah from the Kingston Race & Equalities Council looking on.

Hastings United, who made national headlines last season when they reached the FA Cup Third Round, are splitting their £2000 between the Hastings Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Charity for Kids.

The two charities are picking up their cheques from the Arrows at Pilot Field this Saturday before kick off against Crawley Down Gatwick on the final day of the regular Ryman South campaign.