MTX teams up with male cancer charity "Ball Tampering Allowed"

Modern methods of construction specialist MTX Contracts Ltd raised more than £55,000 with a sports lunch at Stockport County FC to launch the new charity ‘Ball Tampering Allowed’ and raise awareness of cancer issues among ‘lads and dads’.

MTX delivers advanced fast-track building solutions faster, greener, safer and more cost effectively to the NHS and private healthcare sector, and has created more than 300 operating theatres and 2500 compliant bed spaces. 

It has joined forces with North West-based cricket enthusiast and non-executive director Paul Ferriday who has fought his own battle with cancer, and co-founded the charity with his friend Simon Burrows.

MTX Managing Director David Hartley says: “Our company is a market leader within the NHS and is committed to social value and giving something back.  We wanted to create a unique partnership with a charity working collaboratively and proactively, and this charity is particularly relevant to the construction sector and almost 2 million men it employs.” 

Honorary president of the charity is cricketing legend Mike Atherton (OBE), and the ‘Ball Tampering Allowed’ name is a tongue in cheek reference to the famous controversy during the 1994 Lord's Test against South Africa involving the then England captain and ‘ball tampering’ (altering the condition of the ball to favour the bowling). It is now a call to action for early diagnosis of cancer!

Testicular cancer is the leading cause of cancer in males aged 15-35 but can occur at any age!  Early detection and treatment has a 96% first-time cure rate, but 1 in 3 sufferers are still being diagnosed at later stages. 

Ball Tampering Allowed aims to encourage and educate men of all ages to check regularly and help to overcome the traditional male stigma of ignoring embarrassing personal health symptoms.

The money raised by the inaugural event will be used to support community initiatives promoting early diagnosis of male cancers, and help sufferers to deal with their conditions.

Guests at the event included Mike Atherton (OBE), former England cricketer and commentator Paul Allott, former England rugby union international and Dean Schofield, and former Manchester City player and TV soccer pundit Michael Brown.

MTX Managing Director David Hartley is pictured (second from right) at the event with fellow Ball Tampering Allowed trustees: (left to right) former England cricketer and commentator Paul Allott, Paul Ferriday, Simon Burrows, and cricket legend Michael Atherton.