A CHARITY football game in aid of mental health charities has been declared a big success.
George Rabbett-Smith, from Bowes, tried to take his own life on June 4 and is now in Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital, fighting for his life.
His friends have rallied round to raise money for mental health charities.
They organised a football match last Saturday at Green Lane football pitch, in Barnard Castle.
The funds are going to the Young Minds Trust, a charity that aims to make sure all young people can get the mental health support they need.
George’s mum, Hilary, said: “There were about 100 people there which given the weather was good.
“We raised £713 on the day – which means with all the fundraising activities put together, we have raised £9,039 which is a phenomenal effort in about four weeks.”
The teams were made up of George’s friends from Teesdale School and Darlington Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, where he was a first year student.
Jack Kelsey, captaining Barnard Castle Yellows, said he was very pleased with the number of players who had turned out to support the event.
He said: “The game is to raise awareness of men’s mental health issues so lads can talk without feeling any stigma.”
Kasim Asif, skippering Barnard Castle Blues, described George as “like a brother to us” .
He added: “Guys need to know it is okay to talk about their feelings.”
George’s family say he is still in a coma but is making slow but steady progress.
His mum said: “He is breathing more and more independently all the time and is more responsive.”
For more information and for fundraising links, including the football match, visit https://imgeorgesmate.weebly.com
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
