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EastEnders star Ricky Groves urges fans to attend charity match at Cornard United FC near Sudbury featuring Dean Gaffney and Calum Best




A former EastEnders star has encouraged the public to show their support at a charity football match this weekend, which will raise funds for a Suffolk schoolgirl’s charity.

Ricky Groves, best known as Walford regular Garry Hobbs, will be on the sidelines entertaining crowds as actors and reality stars kick off at Cornard United Football Club, near Sudbury, on Sunday.

Those taking part in the match include fellow soap stars Dean Gaffney and Matt Lapinskas, The Only Way is Essex’s Dan Osborne as well as Calum Best, which will raise funds for TeiganSmile.

Ricky Groves is urging people to turn up to a charity football match this weekend. Picture: Ricky Groves
Ricky Groves is urging people to turn up to a charity football match this weekend. Picture: Ricky Groves

The charity, which helps children with special needs, was named in honour of schoolgirl Teigan Rose Bayliss, of Great Whelnetham, near Bury St Edmunds.

The match has been organised by Sellebrity Soccer, which sets up matches to raise funds for good causes.

Mr Groves said he had been a supporter of the charity for a year and that the ‘smiles on faces’ it brought gave everyone hope in difficult times.

The celebrity line-up for the match at Cornard FC. Picture: Sellebrity Soccer.
The celebrity line-up for the match at Cornard FC. Picture: Sellebrity Soccer.

He said: “I’m proud to be part of a great organisation that has raised an incredible amount of not only money but awareness to some worthy causes.

“We have the likes of F2 Freestyler Jeremy Lynch, Woody from Woody and Kleiny, who has over 30 million followers on social media, and Danny Walters from Eastenders and Benidorm taking part.”

He promised a fun, family-friendly day.

“I’m semi-retired and older than my body thinks. I still think I’m 21 but my legs tell me a different story,” Mr Groves said.

Teigan Rose has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Picture: Submitted
Teigan Rose has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Picture: Submitted

“I like the fact that people come to the games and raise money for good causes, who may not normally go to their local team. All off a sudden you’ve got some more supporters.”

He urged people to ‘please come down to Cornard United FC’ and show their support and help them raise funds for a good cause.

Teigan, who attends Hillside Special School, in Sudbury, was diagnosed with quadriplegic cerebral palsy after contracting meningitis – after being kissed by someone with a cold sore when she was a baby.

Her parents, Tony and Beckie Bayliss, set up the charity.

The main sponsor for the event is Rachel, of Harmonize Care.

Tickets are available using this link.

Celebrities taking part in the match are subject to any work commitments that may crop up.

The match kicks off at 3pm.