Young Burscough footballer converts goals to charity cash

Nov 1 2012 by Rob Pattinson, Ormskirk Advertiser

A BURSCOUGH schoolgirl has been converting chances on the football pitch into charity cash with every goal she scores.

Holly Nicholson, 11, raised more than £600 for Queenscourt Hospice last season while playing for Burscough JFC in the West Lancashire girls league.

The Burscough Priory pupil came up with the idea after her parents offered her the incentive of £10 for every goal scored.

Instead, she suggested donating half of that to charity – and as the idea grew, friends and family came on board to support her, some sponsoring per goal, others with a lump sum for the season helping reach the final tally.

She ended up bagging a fantastic 10 goals and proud mum Karen said: “Holly has been playing for three years now – she’s addicted!

“She mainly plays in midfield but can play anywhere on the pitch other than as a goalie.

“Her long-term goal is to play for Liverpool Ladies, and we went to watch the USA against North Korea at the Olympics, which she loved.

“Most parents reward their children for scoring and Holly came up with the idea of using some of the money we promised her as a reward for scoring to go to charity.

“We’ve supported Queenscourt before as a family, and so Holly was keen for the money raised to go to them.

“There’s been great support for her since, with friends and family backing her and her dad’s boss signing up to £15 for each goal.

Holly recently presented a cheque for last year’s total to staff at the hospice.

Following the presentation, a spokesman for Queenscourt Hospice said: “Everyone at Queenscourt Hospice would like to thank Holly and wish her every success with her football and goal scoring.”

Holly is now playing for Dynamo Rangers, in Skelmersdale, and is again being sponsored for each goal she scores.

Anyone who wants to sponsor Holly can email her mum at karennicholson 3009@talktalk.net