Publication Date: 23-01-2025 09:00
Staverton Rangers celebrate brave young player on new tops funded by Bellway donation
A Trowbridge football club has paid tribute to the bravery of one of its young players by having his name printed on new training tops funded through a sponsorship deal with a local housebuilder.
Bellway South West, which is building new homes at Weavers Meadow in the town, donated £500 to Staverton Rangers FC, who used the money to buy the new tops for the men’s team which carry the slogan: ‘Being Brave with Jamie’.
The slogan refers to a Facebook and Instagram page created by the parents of nine-year-old Staverton Rangers player Jamie Butcher, which details his fight against brain cancer.
Jamie, from Westbury, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October 2021 and underwent 10 months of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy in a fight against the disease.
Jamie’s mum Audrey Stewart said: “It was a terrible time but we had lots of people contacting us to see how Jamie was and to wish him their best. His dad Mark set up an online page called ‘Being Brave with Jamie’ to let everyone know how he was getting on.
“Just before he was diagnosed Jamie said he wanted to join Staverton Rangers to play football. A year after his 10-hour brain surgery he joined the club. He had problems with his balance and was too fragile to actually play against another team but loved being on the pitch with the other kids.
“To help Jamie, the club got in touch with the Football Association and got special dispensation for him to play for a younger team and he now plays for the under-7s team with his brother Luca, who is six. The club has been fantastic with Jamie and has supported him and us all the way.
“Jamie’s scans are clear of the cancer now but there is a long way to go. He is thrilled that the club’s first team is now wearing new tops that carry his name on the back. His older brother Dylan, who is 19, has just joined the club and might be wearing one of the tops that has Jamie’s slogan on. It is wonderful.”
Staverton Rangers, which was formed in 2010 has 200 players and runs 11 teams from the under-7s upwards, including a girls’ team and a women’s team. The older teams play their home games at Southwick village hall playing fields while the younger teams play at Staverton village hall playing fields.
John Heal, treasurer at Staverton Rangers, said: “We are a fairly young club and are always on the look-out for a link-up with local businesses to enable us to continue to do what we do and perhaps even grow a little.
“We are extremely grateful to Bellway for agreeing to come on board with a sponsorship deal. The club has used the £500 to help buy 20 training tops for the adult men’s team and we thought it would be a nice touch to carry Jamie’s slogan on the back of the tops.
“Everyone at the club knows about Jamie’s incredibly brave fight against cancer and he is an inspiration to all of us.”
Christel Hawkins, Sales Manager at Bellway South West, said: “When John approached us about the possibility of sponsoring Staverton Rangers we were more than happy to give them a donation.
“The club is an amazing grassroots organisation which provides a place where families can meet and socialise and both children and adults can enjoy playing football. We are incredibly proud that the men’s first team will be wearing tops that not only carry our logo but the slogan that means so much to Jamie and his family and everyone at the club.”
Bellway is building 151 new homes at Weavers Meadow, off Elizabeth Way in Trowbridge.
For more information, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/south-west/weavers-meadow or call the sales team on 01225 637569.
