A Didcot teacher has turned his love of golf into an annual charity tournament that has raised more than £10,000 for the hospice that cared for his mother.
Rob Hayden, Head of PE at Aureus School, founded the Hayden Cup in support of Sobell House Hospice in Headington, where his mother received end-of-life care before her death in 2017.
Inspired by the Ryder Cup, the invitational tournament brings together 48 golfers for two days of team competition, fundraising activities and challenges.
This year’s event will take place at the Forest of Arden on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July, with players competing in Fourballs and Singles matches.
Mr Hayden, whose school is part of the GLF Schools multi-academy trust, established the tournament in 2022. The event has since been held at some of the UK’s best-known golf venues, including The Belfry and Celtic Manor.
He said: “Sobell House cared for my mum before she passed away in 2017, and the compassion and support they showed made an enormous difference to my family.
“I initially climbed Kilimanjaro to raise money for the hospice in 2018, but I wanted to create an annual event that would allow me to continue supporting them.
“That’s when the Hayden Cup began. It was a way of giving something back each year, and it has since grown into a real community event.”
Alongside the golf, the weekend includes raffles, competitions and other fundraising activities in aid of Sobell House Hospice.
The tournament passed the £10,000 fundraising milestone last year, with Mr Hayden hoping its fifth edition will add substantially to that total.
He added: “I’m incredibly proud that we have raised more than £10,000.
“The Hayden Cup was founded to bring friends together through competitive golf, but it has grown into a much-loved annual event that also raises vital funds for Sobell House Hospice.”
