Staff gave students a footballing lesson in a college charity match at Bishop Auckland FC’s Heritage Park.

The fundraising event has become a popular annual fixture for members of staff and students from Bishop Auckland College, but for the sixth year running it was again the staff who won.

After a competitive game played in great spirits, the college staff team won 7-3. They were helped by former Sunderland AFC player Adam Mitchell, from Middleton-in-Teesdale, who played in the Premier League until 2014 and is now a tutor in the sports and maths departments. More than £700 was raised for St Teresa’s Hospice by the match, via sponsorship and gate receipts, as well as additional fundraising activity by HND Sport staff and students including a raffle and football cards. The Darlington charity, founded in 1986, provides free care and support across South Durham and North Yorkshire, with services including community hospice, specialist palliative care beds, counselling, social work and bereavement support. Fundraising & Marketing Manager John Paul Stabler thanked the players and other fundraisers for their efforts: “All of the patients, volunteers and staff at St Teresa’s Hospice are incredibly grateful to everyone at Bishop Auckland College for their fantastic efforts with this charity match. “As an independent charity we need to raise more than £3m each year to keep providing vital free care and support to patients and carers. We rely so much on the generous support of our local communities to help us to raise funds and awareness of what we do, and the support from the staff and students really makes a difference.”

The event was supported by staff and students from across the college, from manning turnstiles to entertaining younger supporters on the night.

Andy Dixon, teaching and learning and sport manager at the college, added: “I would once again like to thank Bishop Auckland FC, the team of match officials and all the players and supporters for making it such a successful evening for a great cause.”

Anyone wishing to donate to the hospice should visit darlingtonhospice.org.uk