The inaugural Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice’s ‘Question of Sport’ took place last night at the prestigious Hadley Wood Golf Course in Barnet and brought in just under £47k on the night to fund the operating costs of the charity which currently run at over £6m per annum.

Putting their sports knowledge to the test were the charity’s corporate partners Taylor Wimpey, A Plus Brickwork, Taylor Woodrow, Borehamwood Football Club, Asbestech, GD Construction, Alan Cox Associates, Steel Rose, Market Financial Services, Nicholas & Co Solicitors and other key supporters. Leading the teams were impressive football legends, Steve Coppell, Dave Beasant and Perry Groves. Two questions were delivered virtually by very special guests, former football player and manager Tim Sherwood and television and radio presenter, Gabby Logan MBE.

The quiz, expertly compered by Kevin Durham, consisted of three rounds and was followed by an auction with some seriously desirable prizes including a Ferrari Maranello package for two, a signed Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Shirt with a stadium tour, signed Arsenal F.C. and Chelsea F.C. shirts, a Rafael Nadal signed tennis ball, Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank signed shorts, an overnight stay at Brocket Hall and three Premier football tickets to Chelsea F.C. v Manchester United F.C. on Sunday 18th May 2025. There must be a winner and Steve Coppell’s team, that included the charity’s CEO Sophie Andrews OBE, took home the trophy.

Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice CEO, Sophie Andrews also spoke to the guests about the breadth of support the charity offers, which was illustrated by a film (in Wetransfer link). Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice must continue to create innovative and effective fundraising campaigns and events as only 17% of their income comes from statutory funding. A new report, Together for Short Lives, Built to Last?, reveals the estimated gap in NHS funding for children’s palliative care in England has grown from £295 million to £310 million in just one year. The gap – which is just 0.16% of NHS England’s annual budget – is one of the main barriers preventing children who are seriously unwell and their families from accessing the care they need. Children’s hospices are a crucial source of support for families caring for children who are seriously unwell. However, with costs rising at an exponential rate, the lack of equitable, sustainable and long-term funding is threatening their ability to continue providing this care. While the announcement that £26 million of NHS funding will be made available for children’s hospices in 2025/26 is deeply welcome, it is still only a short-term solution. Furthermore, there is still a much wider gap in need of filling to ensure hospices are equipped to continue providing lifeline palliative and end of life care services.

Sophie Andrew, CEO of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice said: ‘What an incredible night, everyone had an amazing time and raised much needed funds for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice. We’re so grateful to all our corporate partners and supporters who attended and got into the spirit of the night. A special thanks to the sporting legends for adding some extra sparkle to the event.’

Rachael Messer, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice’s Special Events Manager said: ‘Our very first Question of Sport which was an incredible success. It was amazing to see the guests having such a great time while raising vital funds to help us keep being there for the children and families we support.’