Ex-Arsenal goalkeeper donates £25,500 to support… | Royal Free Charity

Ex-Arsenal goalkeeper donates £25,500 to support children’s cancer care at Barnet Hospital

15 December 2025 
A man is crouched next to a young girl who is lying in a hospital bed wrapped in a pink blanket. Both are smiling.
Graham Stack visited Barnet Hospital to see how his donation will help support cancer care at Barnet Hospital. (Pictured: Graham and Mya) 
“The sense of achievement I’ve had from this event alone has probably blown away some of the most memorable nights of my life in football.” 

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack has donated £26,000 to the Royal Free Charity to support paediatric oncology care at Barnet Hospital in north London.

The funds were raised at ​‘A Night to Remember’, a charity boxing event hosted by Stack on 18 October at The Grosvenor House Hotel. The evening brought together a remarkable line-up of former footballers who stepped into the ring to raise money for four charities including Helping Hands in aid of the Royal Free Charity, which supports young patients and their families during cancer care.

Stack recently visited the children’s ward to meet some of the young people set to benefit from the donation. Among them was Mya, an 11-year-old football fan who has just completed her final round of treatment for a rare brain tumour and is looking forward to getting back on the pitch.

Speaking about his motivation to support the Royal Free Charity, Stack said: 

​“The charity’s work resonates with me because I have children. I visited Barnet Hospital, and it blew me away straight away how connected the staff are with parents and the kids. When I got here and saw what they do – that was a little bit special for me.”

A Night to Remember featured five bouts, with former champions Darren Barker and James DeGale helping to train the ex-footballers taking part.

The main event saw former Tottenham player David Bentley face ex-Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris. Other matchups included Curtis Davies vs Paddy Kenny, Leroy Lita vs David Noble, Lee Trundle vs Anthony Gardner and Colchester favourite Greg Halford vs Marvin Elliott.

Stack brought together the stellar line-up in an event that also featured an auction to raise funds for Helping Hands in aid of the Royal Free Charity.

Reflecting on the success of the event, he said:

“Raising over £25,000 is a big deal for me and I hope for everyone here too. I know every single penny will be spent wisely, helping kids with days out or having a ready bag for kids to come to the hospital. Every pound will go a long, long way and will make a big difference to parents – I can sleep well knowing that.”

Stack’s drive to help others began with his upbringing and developed in retirement when he searched for an outlet that was as fulfilling as his football career.

“Compassion comes from my parents. My dad was big into helping other people, especially if you have the platform. When you leave football, you’re always trying to find ways of replacing that high, trying to find something that puts a smile on your face and gives you something to be proud of. Helping others and raising money is the closest I’ve been to playing on a big stage in front of thousands of people. The sense of achievement I’ve had from this event alone has probably blown away some of the most memorable nights of my life in football.”

– Graham Stack 

Jon Spiers, chief executive of the Royal Free Charity, said:

“We’re incredibly grateful to Graham for his generosity. His donation will directly support children and families receiving cancer care at Barnet Hospital, helping to make their experience gentler. Graham’s commitment to giving back to the north London community is inspiring and we’re proud to have him as a supporter.”

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