Children living with cancer are benefiting from a donation made by a Foundation perpetuating the memory of one of Northern Ireland's football greats, Bertie Peacock. 

Representatives of the County Down Milk Cup Committee teamed up with organisers of the international youth football tournament in providing a donation of £1,500 towards equipment for the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children's Shimna Valley Holiday home outside Newcastle.

Peter Topping (2nd left), youth programme manager for the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children, with Co. Down and Milk Cup Committee members and some of the toys purchased with the County's £1,500 donation to the charity's Shimna Valley Holiday home outside Newcastle . From left -  Jim Sandford (Milk Cup PRO), Jim Weir, Milk Cup secretary, Bobbie Reid (Co. Down chairman) and Barry Greene (County Down PRO),

Two County Down players, Aaron Burns and Ben Oliver, scooped the Bertie Peacock Foundation award presented to the best County player at the tournament.

The donation represents monies set aside by the Foundation to perpetuate the memory of former Celtic and Northern Ireland player Peacock, a founding member of the world renowned competition, who died in 2004.

The Foundation award to the winning players' county is for onward designation to a charity of their choice.

County Down chairman Bobbie Reid said: "The Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children offers practical, emotional and financial support to children and young people up to and including the age of 21, who are living with cancer, and their families and we thought it was a most worthwhile cause to benefit from this generous award."

Two children are diagnosed with cancer every week in Northern Ireland, leaving two more families to cope with a level of devastation that is almost impossible for most of us to comprehend.

The holiday house at Shimna Valley, Newcastle, is a dedicated respite centre providing for the entire family, including siblings of the child suffering from cancer.

Youth Programme Manager, Peter Topping, accepted the donation on behalf of the NI Cancer Fund for Children.

Milk Cup secretary Jim Weir said: "The players selected to receive the awards secure a one-year kit sponsorship with Umbro as well as a Tyrone Crystal award.

"We feel the Foundation's role is best served by empowering the County Committees whose players are chosen as recipients to support a worthwhile charity in their area.

"We are grateful to Umbro for their continuing support in this venture and we wish both players every success in their future careers."