After a full month of dedicated fund-raising efforts, Milton Keynes Lightning Ice Hockey Club was delighted to present the British Heart Foundation with a cheque for £2,876.74 before Saturday’s home game against Sheffield Steeldogs.

Every season Lightning chooses a local or national cause to raise money for, and during November the MK Lightning Supporters’ Club co-ordinates a range of activities to encourage donations.  The Lightning team has contested November’s fixtures wearing specially-commissioned home and away shirts featuring the BHF name and logo, every shirt individually sponsored by supporters and local businesses.  Unlike the Lightning’s usual home, away and warm-up shirts, these special shirts will not be mass-produced for general sale – the actual ones worn by the players will instead be presented to their proud sponsors.

But the players’ special shirts were only the beginning of Lightning’s fund-raising work.

  ·      Nick Poole and Ross Green launched charity month by launching themselves from the Xscape building in Central Milton Keynes for a Zip Wire Challenge, to raise awareness of the BHF’s work;

·      Literally only minutes after beating Telford Tigers 6-1 recently, the entire MK Lightning team joined the MK Storm junior team, Pucky the mascot and a host of supporters to take part in “Skate A Mile”, generous skaters donating over £210 during their laps of the rink.

 ·      Whilst Pucky the polar bear is an ever-present at the team’s home games, in November he was joined by flying ducks!  Supporters paid £1 to aim one of 50 small rubber ducks at Pucky on the ice at every home game in November, with a prize for the one landing nearest the furry skater.
   
·      Lightning players Nick Poole, Michael Wales, Leigh Jamieson and Lewis Christie joined supporters for the MK Lightning Charity Golf Tournament sponsored by Lok ‘n’ Store,  at the Three Locks Golf Club on 9th November.  Battling a chilly, grey morning, 30 competitors completed their 18 holes and raised £1,000 for the BHF, with sponsorship and prizes generously donated by many local businesses.

·      Finally, a selection of BHF merchandise was on sale at Lightning’s November games – from official BHF badges and key rings, to limited edition commemorative hoodies in BHF colours.

The Club rounded off the month’s activities by marking the anniversary of the BHF’s inception in 1961, by playing music from the 1960’s during Saturday’s home victory over Sheffield, with many supporters attending in themed fancy dress.

Dave Bunyan, Chairman of the MK Lightning Supporters’ Club, said that the team’s supporters never failed to amaze with their generosity every year.  “Every year Lightning’s supporters show us how incredibly generous they are, and this year’s been no exception.  The British Heart Foundation is a cause very close to all of us here at Lightning, especially after two of the support team suffered heart problems this year, from which they’ve thankfully made full recoveries – so it really means a lot to be able to do this for the BHF.  “So many people have got behind this fantastic cause and given very generously, in both time and money, to raise money to help the BHF continue their work.  We know that money is tight for everybody right now, and especially with Christmas approaching as well – so a huge thankyou from everyone at Lightning to everyone who contributed and also to the local businesses who got involved.  We’re proud to be able to hand over such an amazing sum to an amazing cause.”