Two Abbots Langley brothers who play for Kings Langley football teams took on a challenge during the FIFA World Cup to raise money for charity.
Harvey Taylor, 10, and little brother Zach, 8, both took part in Brain Tumour Research’s One Million Keepy Uppy Challenge.
Harvey, who plays for Kings Langley U11, and Zach, who plays for Kings Langley U8, pledged to complete 1,250 keepy uppies for the cause, 750 and 500 respectively, in memory of their beloved grandfather, Colin Rothwell. ‘Pops’ died in 2019 at the age of 65, just three months after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Mother of the “football mad” pair, Steph Taylor, lost both her father and cousin to inoperable gliblastomas (GBM).
She said: “Dad was a gentle man, reliable, dependable, full of integrity and very intelligent. To watch the tumour change him as a person was awful and learning how underfunded and under-researched brain tumours made us want to help.”
Harvey and Zach, who both play for Kings Langley FC, completed their keepy-uppies at weekends whilst waiting for each other’s football matches to finish and at after school clubs, always under the supervision of an adult who could keep count for them.
Steph said: “They’re huge football fans and are really into the World Cup. I knew [the challenge] would be something they’d love and would really enjoy doing in their grandfather’s memory.
“Their father, Paul, passed away in 2018 and was football-mad as well, so they’re following in his steps in that way too.”
Charlie Allsebrook, community development manager for Brain Tumour Research, said: “We’re really grateful to Harvey and Zach for taking part in our One Million Keepy Uppy Challenge to help raise vital funds for research and wish them the best of luck with it. Together we will find a cure.”
To support the brothers’ fundraising, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/steph-taylor-t4 or, to find out more about the challenge, visit www.braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/keepy-uppy-challenge.
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