Game4Grenfell: Star-studded football match raises money for fire victims

Sports stars, musicians and actors have taken part in a charity football match at QPR’s Loftus Road ground in aid of victims and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Singers Olly Murs and Marcus Mumford joined Homeland star Damian Lewis, Fifty Shades actor Jamie Dornan and comedian Jack Whitehall to raise money for those affected.

Professional footballers past and present also took part, including David Seaman, Peter Crouch, David James, Shay Given, Trevor Sinclair and Jamie Redknapp, as well as Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah and McFly singer Danny Jones.

They were split into two teams: one headed by former QPR and England striker Les Ferdinand, and the other coached by former England captain Alan Shearer.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho joined Team Shearer as goalkeeper midway through the second half.

The stadium fell silent before the game began in memory of the 80 people who lost their lives in the devastating blaze on 14 June.

Game4Grenfell was the brainchild of Ferdinand, who grew up on the Lancaster West Estate beside the 24-storey tower.

Just two minutes into the game, Sir Mo scored the first goal for Team Ferdinand, as the athlete celebrated by performing his trademark ‘Mobot’ along with his teammates.

The match finished 2-2 after 90 minutes and then went to penalties. Team Ferdinand eventually triumphed 5-3, with Murs scoring the winning penalty past Mourinho.

Loftus Road is just a mile away from Grenfell Tower, and money raised from the charity game is going to the Evening Standard’s fund for those hit by the tragedy.

More than 14,000 tickets were sold, with a further 3,000 given to survivors, residents, volunteers and the emergency services.

For one family in particular, the football game was a much-needed opportunity to escape the heartache they’ve experienced since the Grenfell fire.

Earlier this week, Karim Mussilhy and his family received confirmation that their Uncle Hesham Rahman, 57, had been formally identified as someone who died.

Paying tribute to his uncle, Mr Mussilhy said: "Hesham was very loving, kind and generous. He loved children and was a huge part of our family.

"He lived on the top floor of the tower and had diabetes so would have struggled to get down the stairs. We last spoke to him at 3am when he said he had been told to stay inside and someone was coming for him.

"We know that on the night of the fire he went to one of his neighbours who had young children and we have heard video of him comforting them while their mother was upset.

"He was calm, trying to make people less scared and frightened, keeping the peace. That says a lot about who he was. That’s how I want him to be remembered, as a hero."

Mr Mussilhy’s nine-year-old son, Kai, was a mascot for the game.

"Kai hasn’t stopped talking about it since he found out he was a mascot," he added.

"It has been amazing to see all the children of this community smiling again, taking part in activities, seeing the celebrities. It is a day off from everything they’ve experienced and is much needed."

:: To give £3, text GRENFELL to 70007. Texts cost £3 plus one standard rate message.

(c) Sky News 2017: Game4Grenfell: Star-studded football match raises money for fire victims