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Families are the winner in WellChild celebrity golf competition

By Chris Hill · October 29, 2020

WellChild Matchplay Golf Challenge winner James Taylor with James Jordan

The winner of the WellChild Matchplay Golf Challenge was decided at the Belfry course on October 29th when former England cricketer James Taylor was victorious. But the real winners were the families WellChild supports as £15,000 was donated to fund the charity’s work. 

James won three and one in a fiercely fought final at the Belfry against James Jordan. 

Golf loving celebs took part in the socially distanced knockout competition on courses across the UK culminating in the semi-finals and final at the famous Belfry course on October 29th. 

 In the semi-finals Kriss Akabusi took on James Jordan and James Taylor took on Alan McInally. Then through to the final which was a battle of the James’s when Strictly Come Dancing star James Jordan played Nottinghamshire and England cricketer James Taylor and James Taylor emerged victorious. 

Celebrities who took part in the event were Kriss Akabusi, Gail Emms, Mark Foster, Trevor Nelson, Charlie Hodgson, Tom Stanley, Rishi Persad, Andrew Castle, James Jordan, John Regis, Mark Butcher, Oli BellClarke Carlisle, Iain DowieAlan McInally, Kevin Phillips, Ollie Phelps, James Phelps, James Taylor, Charles Dagnall and Derek Redmond. 

All are regular WellChild supporters who have taken part in the charity’s celebrity golf challenges in past years which are cancelled in 2020 because of COVID-19. They stepped up to take part in this competition and kept their fans up to date through social media, encouraging them to donate to WellChild’s work online at wellchild.org.uk/donate.  

WellChild would like to thank the anonymous donor who provided a £15,000 donation to the charity and long-standing WellChild supporters, Martin & Co the Jewellers and Lynx Golf who donated prizes for the winning celebrity. 

In this tough year financially for WellChild, the celebrity Matchplay Challenge has allowed the charity to continue its work to support hundreds of complex needs children throughout the UK and raise vital funds to replace some of the 60 per cent of funding lost due to the COVID-19 epidemic. 

WellChild Chief Executive Colin Dyer said: “Congratulations to James Taylor on his win in the Matchplay Challenge. And a huge thank you to all the celebrities who took part to raise money for WellChild’s work with complex needs children and their families in the UK. In these difficult times it’s inspiring that people are coming up with new ways to support seriously ill children.”