Raising money from laughter - joke book celebrates the life of poet Michael Rosen's late son, Eddie
Twenty-five years ago the son of the children's poet Michael Rosen, Eddie Rosen, died of meningitis aged just 18. This year the efforts of friends in Sussex have led to a newly released joke book to celebrate his warmth and humour to raise funds for meningitis research.
Eddie played for Arsenal Community Hockey team, a long running inner city youth programme of over 30 years, which has seen over 15,000 children learn hockey in one of the most deprived areas of the UK.
In his memory, every year the team have held a hockey match to raise funds for meningitis research and three years ago started a weekend adult and junior 6 aside tournament in Eastbourne, the famous Saffron Sixes, which this year raised over £5000 - we know of no other hockey tournament in our area (or the UK?) of its size where every single penny goes to charity.
Recently, local 10 year-old, Madde illustrated a joke book put together by the friends and family of Eddie. As he was the life and soul of the team with fantastic comic timing and a kind heart who always kept us entertained there was no better way to celebrate his time.
Jokes were gathered from the many generations of the Arsenal hockey team, their kids (as most graduates are that old now) and lots more young people as Arsenal Hockey has always been about community and youth.
After doing a small print run the Meningitis Research Foundation asked to put it on national sale (you can buy a copy and support the cause at the link below) and after a national launch the book has raised thousands of pounds, but this is only a drop in the ocean for what MRF needs to rid the country of this tragic disease by 2030. Please spread the word and to find out more about meningitis, and the warning signs, visit Meningitis.org.
If you would like to support the cause and buy the book, click on the link below