And the winner was...Cooltan Arts!

Although the young Hamlet team went down to a lone goal in yesterdays' charity match against Peckham Town Cooltan Arts came out on top!

Our opponents Peckham Town, from the Kent County League Division One West, sneaked the game with a very late winner after the match looked to be heading for a nil nil stalemate, but the score for once came secondary, as all money raised from the match was donated to our official charity partner for 2015/16, Cooltan Arts.

The game was originally planned to be a bit of post-season fun, involving many of the Hamlet First Team squad, but due to continuing 'when will it be' play-off saga, First Team training and preparations for the semi-final at Margate, the Hamlet XI came from our Youth Team squad, under the wing of the ASPIRE Academy.

They were 'helped' by two brave supporters who pledged money to have a run-out in the famous Pink & Blue, in front of a crowd that exceeded well over two hundred fans. Ben Sibley took to the filed in the first half, while Patrick Ludden appeared in the second period.

The choice of date for the match was no accident, for Cooltan Arts are a leading light in working in the adult mental health field locally, being based down the Walworth Road; & today sees the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs until next Sunday.

The Dulwich Hamlet FC Committee Member responsible for Community Initiatives Mishi Morath said:

"It was great that despite all of the ongoing problems with the play-offs Gavin Rose had no hesitation in agreeing to the fixture, rather than cancelling it. It's an important message that a club like ours can send to say that there's nothing to be shameful about having mental health problems. People shouldn't be stigmatised because of it, and it affects everyone, whether directly, or through people they know. Quite a few of our fans have thanked the club, as they have mental health issues, and they appreciate the work and message the club are sending out there, not just in the football world, but to our local community, while also showing that Dulwich Hamlet is a place for everyone to come along to and feel at home and at ease."

After the final whistle the proceeds from the game (which consisted of gate receipts, programme sales, the fans who played donations & another donation from the three match officials, who donated their fees) were presented to the representatives from Cooltan Arts, the total coming to a whopping £883.

This is part of an on-going partnership between Dulwich Hamlet & Cooltan Arts, who will our first ever Official Charity Partners for the coming 2015/16 season.

The link-up began at the end of April at the last Dulwich Hamlet home match of the Ryman League Premier Division season against Maidstone United, when £389 was donated by the Champion Hill faithful, through a bucket collection around the ground.

Dulwich Hamlet FC Chief Executive Martin Eede stated:

"Yesterday was a fantastic afternoon, everyone from the Club, that's in the boardroom, the changing rooms and on the terraces, are one hundred per cent behind supporting Cooltan Arts over the next season & raising awareness. It's a partnership that we're all really excited about."