Keeper's charity goal

Goalkeeping coach  Nicky Eyre is proving a safe pair of hands when it comes to charity.

The 25-year-old, who is approaching 100 games with Blue Square Bet North side, Bishops Stortford FC has teamed up with manufacturer Selsport to design a glove bearing the pink breast cancer logo on the wrist to raise money for those diagnosed with the disease.

Nick said: “I’ve been wearing [Selsport] gloves for about 14 years, so when I said to their operations manager that I’d like to do something for charity they were happy to help out.

“The design of the glove, its shape and how it’s made is something I came up with a couple of years ago, so they’re bespoke to how I prefer them, but having the pink logo on them is something new for this season.”

Nick, who works for civil engineering firm BAUER Technologies in Southmill Road, Stortford, was inspired by the memory of his grandmother, Ann Stimpson.

“She died when I was about two, so unfortunately I never got to know her,” he said. “She was an incredible woman, by all accounts, so I feel I’ve missed out on quite a lot for not having known her.

“Twenty-odd years down the line, I think we’re getting there in terms of finding a cure, so I just wanted to help so others don’t miss out like I have.”

Nick, whose wife Lia gave birth to their first child, Ellis, on August 21, added: “My grandma was only in her 50's when she died and my mum’s now the same age, so having just given her a grandchild really brings it home.

“Also, as a guy it can be quite difficult to contribute to these sorts of charities because it’s often women who carry the torch. This way, I can do something from a different perspective. If I play for another 15-20 years and bring out a limited edition glove every season then hopefully I can make a real difference.”

The custom-made gloves can be ordered from Selsport in all sizes from junior to adult in batches of four and eight pairs. For more information, email Nick at keepersunited@live. co.uk. A percentage of each pair sold will be donated to charity.