Celebrity football match in memory of Hugh, 6, on anniversary of his death

Hugh Menai-Davis was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in October 2020. After months of chemo and radiotherapy, he was able to ring the bell at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, marking the end of his treatment.

However, Hugh's condition sadly took a turn for the worse, and he passed away on September 18, 2021.

Now, parents Frances and Ceri have set up a charity - It's Never You - in their son's memory, with the biggest fundraising effort planned for the first anniversary of Hugh's passing.

Stevenage's Lamex Stadium will host 'A Match for Hugh' - a celebrity football match next month, with the likes of Danny Dyer, Dan Osborne and Jermaine Jenas taking to the field - all in aid of It's Never You.

Eastenders stars Danny Dyer, Jake Wood and Dean Gaffney are among the star-studded line up for 'A Match for Hugh', to be held at Stevenage's Lamex Stadium (Image: It's Never You)

Dad Ceri told the Comet: "He was bouncy, joyful, kind, caring, generous - always wanted to help people. Everything you'd want your child to be.

Hugh and brother Raife were the inspiration behind the butterfly logo of It's Never You (Image: Ceri Menai-Davis)

"He never showed any fear. He had six months of chemotherapy, before going into radiotherapy and we thought he was on track.

"On May 23, he rang the bell - and he went to school for the last six weeks of term."

However, a year ago this week Hugh started to become unwell, and was taken back to the hospital.

"We were told he was doing well - it was a shock," Ceri added.

Following Hugh's death, Ceri and Frances were left seeking support for their bereavement, both in terms of advice on explaining the loss to their younger son Raife, as well as counselling for themselves.

Ceri has completed a marathon and Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for It's Never You (Image: Courtesy of Ceri Menai-Davis)

"We've never been offered any help from any NHS authority. If Hugh had gone to a hospice we would have had bereavement support."

This, along with other worries facing parents with children in hospital for long periods of time, led the couple to create the charity. Parents can download the It's Never You app to connect with other parents, and funding is available for food vouchers, and bereavement counselling - courtesy of a partnership with MindUP.

The It's Never You app signposts parents with ill children to support service and charities, as well as putting families in touch who are going through similar circumstances (Image: Ceri Menai-Davis)

Ceri has also been in touch with North East Herts MP Sir Oliver Heald to protect workers' rights of parents with ill children.

North East Herts MP Sir Oliver Heald has showed his support for the It's Never You charity (Image: Courtesy of Ceri Menai-Davis)

He said: "Ceri and his family suffered a devastating loss of their son Hugh. I am supporting Ceri with his ideas for providing more support to parents of youngsters in hospital for long periods.

"We recently met Health Minister Ed Argar MP to discuss how hospitals might provide better facilities for parents, particularly in the new Children’ Hospitals.

"I have also been investigating how many families are affected to see if some extra financial support might be provided to parents for the employed through statutory sick pay and for the self-employed by a furlough grant.

"I recently asked Parliamentary Questions about the number of long term child patients and have shared the answers with Ceri and the House of Commons Library have been helping me on how a Sick Pay Scheme might work."

The football match in Stevenage will see a kickabout with Hugh's school friends, ahead of a minutes' applause for Hugh, before celebrities take to the field, with more special guests expected to be announced.

Tickets are £15 per adult, and £5 for under-16s and can be bought at bit.ly/3AFDkO4.