Earlier this summer, Kim and Andy Murray launched a charity raffle to win one of three tennis balls signed by Murray and the late tennis legend, Fred Perry, dubbed the "Champions' Raffle".
With over 2,000 entries, raising £27,025 for St Peter & St James Hospice, lucky winner Oliver Refson was invited to Wimbledon to receive the signed tennis ball from the Hospice’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing, Sue Adams.
Oliver, from Wells, was delighted with the prize, saying, “I feel so privileged to win such a rare and prestigious artefact.
"I am such a huge tennis fan and an avid player who watches the sport every chance I get. Andy Murray is my role model and I look up to him, which is why I can't believe I have something like this in my possession.
"I have dreamed of going to Wimbledon and it was everything I was dreaming of, which was made so much better by the welcoming staff there.
“Also a large thank you to the hospice for making this all possible for me and making me feel so comfortable throughout the whole experience.”
Sue Adams, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at St Peter & St James Hospice, said, “The raffle has been such a wonderful event for the hospice and I cannot thank Kim and Andy Murray enough for their generosity, as well as the thousands of people who entered the raffle and donated.
“As we receive just 14% of our funding from the Government, it is vital that our fundraising is supported in the community in order that we raise £2.6m each year to provide treatment to our patients free of charge.
"Everyone at the Hospice is grateful to all those who supported the Champions Raffle and donated – it costs £7,200 to cover all the services the Hospice provides each day, so the money raised nearly covers four days of care.”
Andy Murray is my role model and I look up to him, which is why I can't believe I have something like this in my possession
The second signed tennis ball is on display at Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, kindly loaned to the Museum by Kim and Andy for the public to view.
The third ball lives with them at home in Surrey.
