A KITMAN at one of the UK’s biggest football clubs has raised more than £41,000 for a life-saving charity in memory of his father.

Head of Kit and Equipment at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, Steve Dukes has raised more than £41,000 for the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance.

In memory of his late father Charlie, Steve raised the cash through a second charity auction meaning that together with Just Giving donations of more than £13,000, and the money raised from last year’s auction, the total raised by Steve has achieved an amazing £88,000 for the charity, which has a base in Earls Colne.

This year’s Sports Support the Air Ambulance sale, saw more than 80 lots comprising player-signed football shirts and sports memorabilia, all which were collected by Steve  through his contacts in the sporting world. 

The highlight of the sale was Cristiano Ronaldo’s signed red Manchester United home shirt for the season 2021-22.

It received 47 bids and was bought by an overseas collector for £8,000.

Charlie Dukes died after a cycling accident in May 2020, and to ensure his dad’s legacy lives on, Steve decided to run the high-profile auctions of sporting memorabilia in support of the local air ambulance which helped his dad.

After the sale had finished Steve said: “Essex and Herts Air Ambulance is an amazing charity, and I am so pleased with the total amount achieved.

“If the money raised can help save a life or two and give families like mine, the after care they need, I will continue to support them however I can.”

In addition to the football shirts, this year’s auction contained items signed by the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Tyson Fury, WWE superstar and Spurs fan Finn Balor, Conor McGregor, Owen Farrell, and Alistair Cook.

Steve continued: “Hopefully our collective efforts can go a long way to helping what is a very worthy cause.”

Emma Barker, head of income generation for EHAAT, added: “Steve puts a huge amount of effort into pulling together his amazing auction lots, which attract a great deal of interest and generate much-needed funds for the charity.

“We thank him wholeheartedly for everything that he does in memory of his beloved dad, Charlie.”