A KITMAN at a top football club has officially handed over a cheque after raising nearly £150,000 for charity.

Head of kit and equipment at Tottenham Hotspur, Steve Dukes, has presented a cheque for £50,000 to the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) chief executive, Jane Gurney.

This cheque brings the total amount he has raised for the charity to an impressive £141,000.

Over the last three years, Steve has been raising money for EHAAT in memory of his late father Charlie, who tragically lost his life after a cycling accident in May 2020.

Since then, to ensure his dad’s legacy lives on, he has set up the ‘Charlie Dukes Fund’ and has been supporting the air ambulance which provided an invaluable service at the time of Charlie’s passing.

In 2021 and 2022, Steve held two high profile auctions of sporting memorabilia which raised an impressive £88,000.

The latest event was a charity football match held at Bishop’s Stortford’s FC’s ground, where the halfway line is the meeting point between Essex and Hertfordshire, which raised a huge £50,000.

The match saw Tottenham legends and celebrities united for a highly anticipated fundraising match, with tickets selling out within 24 hours of going on sale.

Filling the R&D Advisors UK Stadium, supporters were able to witness the reunion of iconic players from the Harry Redknapp and Martin Jol eras, including Jermain Defoe, Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Robbie Keane, Edgar Davids, Sandro, Aaron Lennon and many more.

In the dugout, Harry Redknapp led the Spurs side against EHAAT’s celebrity patron Ray Winstone, who expertly managed a team featuring renowned figures like Yaya Toure, Joe Cole, Wayne Routledge, and a lineup of celebrities including Mark Wright, Jonathan Trott, and Billy Wingrove.

It was a sensational sunny afternoon with no shortage of goals as Spurs won 7-1, with Defoe back amongst the goals claiming a hat-trick.

EHAAT fundraising manager Stacey Wilson said: “It was an unforgettable day with our fundraisers, volunteers, canvassers and supporters coming together to raise vital awareness and funds in our own backyard.

“I just want to say a huge thank you to Steve for arranging the fundraising match in memory of his father Charlie, and all of the players, celebrities and supporters who turned out in force.”

To raise as much money as possible, the charity football match was combined with a further auction, which featured signed shirts from the match, alongside memorabilia collected by Steve through his contacts in the sporting world.

EHAAT chief executive Jane Gurney was delighted to accept the cheque from Steve.

She said: “We are so grateful to Steve for his unwavering dedication and commitment to supporting EHAAT.

“The spectacular Spurs match was a testament to his passion and the incredible generosity of the players, celebrities, and supporters who came together on that unforgettable day.

“The funds raised will significantly impact our life-saving missions and enable us to continue providing advanced pre-hospital care to those in need.

“I want to express our heartfelt thanks to Steve and everyone involved in making this event a resounding success.”

Steve added: “Essex and Herts Air Ambulance is an amazing charity, and I am so pleased with the total amount achieved.

“If the money raised can help save a life or two and give families like mine, the after care they need, I will continue to support them however I can.”

And true to his word, Steve is not stopping in his fundraising efforts, already planning another charity football match for 2024.

To find out more or to donate visit ehaat.org.