For the 2025/26 season’s County Cup finals the Cumberland FA will be fundraising in support of the Fred Conway Fund.
The fund was set up in November 2023 in memory of their late chairman.
The fund sees a percentage of disciplinary money being ring-fenced to provide practical financial support to those in Cumberland football who are in need and contributions were initially based around four key areas – benevolent, wellbeing, hardship and excellence – when the fund was first set up.
When the fund was initially set up, Cumberland FA CEO Ben Snowdon said: “The fund includes a number of specific areas which Fred was extremely passionate about and dedicated a lot of his time and effort towards whilst he was involved in the game.
“Before his passing he was pushing the county to set up a fund that would look to assist clubs and more specifically individuals at such a challenging time for so many people.
“The county will look to use income brought in through the disciplinary system to make contributions of mainly smaller amounts of between £100 to £500, although we will consider an increased contribution with exceptional circumstances.”
The scheme has also been used to support Cumberland FA’s long-standing partnership with Specsavers, which is into its eight consecutive season.
Most recently, it was announced that the Fred Conway Fund would be used to support a heart-screening initiative in partnership with Cardiologic.
Fred died following a heart attack. His loss echoes a wider national concern as 12 young people die every week in the UK from undiagnosed cardiac conditions, with around 80% showing no prior symptoms.
While professional footballers benefit from comprehensive screening, grassroots players currently have very limited access to ECG testing.
Following consultation and a presentation to club welfare officers, it was agreed that funding from The Fred Conway Fund would be used to buy a new, portable ECG device.
The device is simple to use – players can even apply it themselves – and its affordability compared to other options means heart screening can now reach far more people in our football community.
The device allows screenings to:
- Take place during training sessions, matchdays, or dedicated club events
- Be carried out with no medical training required
- Deliver an accurate, hospital grade, 10-second, non-invasive test
Recordings are securely uploaded via a mobile phone or tablet and reviewed by a cardiologist. Individuals or parents will receive a full report within a week. If an abnormality is detected, the player is informed and advised to follow up with their GP.
At all the County Cup Finals for the 2025/26 season, there will be a number of collection buckets/tins around the venues, with any donations to help support the Fred Conway Fund greatly appreciated.
A spokesman added: “Cumberland FA would also like to thank Pancreatic Cancer UK for the partnership at last season’s 2024/25 County Cup Finals.
“The partnership raised £809 for Pancreatic Cancer UK, to support their lifesaving research and promote the amazing work they do, all the help and support from the Charity, in particular Caitlin Ashdown, was greatly appreciated and it was a pleasure to work alongside them.”
