A group of young footballers are celebrating this week after their fundraising demonstration at Garforth Town Football Club raised over £1,000 for two hospitals in West Yorkshire. 

The group of toddlers from SOCATOTS Barnsley sold tickets to friends and families to watch them lead out the Garforth Town first team as mascots last season as well as raffling off some sporting memorabilia in support of the Calderdale Hospital Special Care Baby Unit and the Leeds General Infirmary Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.

The eight children, aged 2-4 years, from SOCATOTS Barnsley also wrapped up warm to take part in a half-time demonstration of some of the skills they had been working on in front of around one hundred applauding fans at the Genix Healthcare Stadium recently.

The group took part in Garforth Town’s “Matchday Experience” which gives junior clubs the opportunity to raise money for a good cause whilst engaging a group of local children with the club by making them mascots and ballboys for the day. This opportunity is open to groups up to 11 years of age and can be football teams, schools, scouts, cubs or SOCATOTS.

Janine Jones, Head of SOCATOTS Barnsley commented “It is amazing that so many friends and family supported the children in their demonstration at Garforth. All the children enjoyed the day and I received a number of compliments from spectators who had never experienced SOCATOTS before on the co-ordination and skills that were on show. We are looking forward to repeating the experience again at Garforth Town next season and may invite some of our older players from the Brazilian Soccer School in Barnsley to join us.”

North East Leeds Juniors under 10s team also took advantage of the opportunity earlier in the season to raise over £300 towards club funds.

If you are involved with a group of children who may be interested in taking part in the Garforth Town “Matchday Experience” next season please contact the club on 0113 2877145 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .