Rotherham Hospice to Feature on Rotherham United’s Centenary Shirt Thanks to Diamond Partners

We’re incredibly proud to announce that Rotherham Hospice will appear on the front of Rotherham United’s official 2025/26 shirts, as part of a landmark charity partnership during the club’s Centenary season.

This special edition Rotherham United Centenary shirt will carry our refreshed Hospice logo across all three kits, bringing national visibility to the work we do right here in the local community.

Celebrating 100 Years of the Millers – and 30 Years of the Hospice

As Rotherham United celebrates its 100th anniversary, we’ll be marking our own major milestone – 30 years of providing specialist end of life care in Rotherham.

To be selected as the charity to front the Millers’ Centenary kit is a powerful show of unity – a coming together of two local institutions that have been part of this community for generations.

We’re deeply thankful to AESSEAL, Hughie Construction, IPM Group, Mears Group, SteelPhalt and TMG Mortgage Network, whose generosity has made this possible through the club’s Diamond Partnership programme.

Charity Shirt Sponsorship with Real Impact

Being featured on the Rotherham United home, away and third shirts isn’t just about visibility – it’s about community impact. Every time these kits are worn, they raise awareness of the growing need for support at Rotherham Hospice.

We now require over £10 million a year to keep our care going – and around £6 million of that must come from charitable donations. This platform will help amplify our voice at a time when it’s never been more vital.

Two Local Legends. One Mission.

Quote from

Rotherham United

“To be able to continue the Diamond Partnership into the club’s historic Centenary Year and for a third consecutive season is both a huge honour and a great privilege. Not only does it speak volumes of the continued selflessness of those businesses involved, it also facilitates a fantastic opportunity for our kits – which we hope will be remembered for many years to come – to proudly sport the branding of a local charity close to our hearts.

“While there were numerous worthwhile causes in the Rotherham region which were considered to feature on the front of our shirts during this milestone campaign, it became clear after canvassing the opinion of the Diamond Partners that the Rotherham Hospice and everything they do for our community made them the ideal candidates for a year in which we will celebrate all of the aspects of this town and the people within it that make it so special.

“The Rotherham Hospice is also a fitting metaphor for the football club in this, it’s 100th season, in that, they have shown fantastic resilience to overcome the challenges posed to them each year in terms of the funds they need to raise to continue to operate and are a cornerstone of our local community.

“Our eternal gratitude is this year extended to AESSEAL, Hughie Construction, IPM Group, Mears Group, Steelphalt and TMG Mortgage Network. Without them, this amazing gesture which provides a local charity with such an impactful opportunity over the course of a year simply would not be possible.

“We recognise that our Centenary Year Diamond Partnership represents a real opportunity in respect of fundraising for the Rotherham Hospice, which now needs £10 million per annum to stay open, £6 million of which is through charitable donations. It is clear that their work has touched the lives of many of our supporters and you only need to look at the Memory Walk taking place here at AESSEAL New York Stadium on Saturday and the recent Millermen fundraiser to see just how firmly Millers fans get behind this amazing cause.”

Quote from

Rotherham Hospice

“It is a huge honour for Rotherham Hospice to feature once again on the front of Rotherham United’s shirts, especially in such a landmark year. As the club celebrates its centenary and we mark 30 years of compassionate care in our community, this partnership is more meaningful than ever.

To see our new logo and refreshed identity proudly displayed on the shirt is a powerful symbol of progress, pride, and partnership. We’re incredibly thankful to the local businesses whose generosity has made this possible, and to Rotherham United for choosing us – two local institutions side by side.

This moment isn’t just about visibility, it’s about unity. It’s about Rotherham coming together to support its club and its Hospice, and to ensure our care can continue for the next 30 years and beyond.”

Join the Movement

The 2025/26 Rotherham United shirt sponsorship isn’t just about football – it’s a bold reminder of what happens when Rotherham pulls together.

As our logo takes to the pitch at the AESSEAL New York Stadium and beyond, we hope it brings attention to the work we do every day: easing the physical and emotional pain of death and dying in our town.

Support Rotherham Hospice today. Help us add more life to every day.

Donate here
Learn more about the partnership
Fundraise for us

John Breckin appointed Ambassador for Rotherham Hospice

John Breckin Ambassador for Rotherham Hospice

The Hospice means so much to me. They were there for me and my family, just as they are for all Rotherham families.

John Breckin on Rotherham Hospice Tweet

Rotherham Hospice is thrilled to announce John Breckin, Rotherham United FC legend, as Ambassador for the Hospice.

John has contributed to the creation of some of our most popular events including the Midnight Memory Walk, Red Glove Day at Rotherham United’s football ground and his annual cricket match at Wickersley Old Village Cricket Club. Not only that, but John is keen to do more.

John Breckin midnight walk

John’s support for Rotherham Hospice is longstanding, having lost his wife at the Hospice in 2006, and his daughter attended the Sunbeams support group the Hospice offers to bereaved families. Both before and after his wife’s death, John has been a constant supporter of the Hospice, giving so much of his time to helping the Hospice stay running.

 

As Ambassador, John plans to continue to be a beacon in the community for the charity, encouraging everyone to take part in fundraising events, contribute what they can financially and donate their well-needed services to the Hospice.

 

John is a frequent friendly face in the Hospice, saying hello to staff and patients whenever he comes in, signing books for people on the ward and throwing ideas around the fundraising office. 

It was only fitting, therefore, that when we asked John what he would like to do to celebrate the announcement of him as our Rotherham Hospice Ambassador, he asked for a small gathering with Hospice staff on Hospice grounds.

“Thank you all for sharing today with me. The Hospice means so much to me. They were there for me and my family, just as they are for all Rotherham families. It’s an honour and I’ll do whatever I can to keep this place going,” John said, in his speech in our gardens on 1st September. “You, the staff, are the Hospice. You keep it going. Every time I come down, there’s smiles on your faces and it really does make people feel at home and welcome.”

When asked why we decided to make John Breckin our Ambassador, Stephen King, Director of Income Generation for Rotherham Hospice said;

“It’s not enough to just say thank you for all his fundraising efforts. We wanted to recognise John’s achievement and dedication by appointing him as ambassador for Rotherham Hospice. We are looking forward to flying the flag for Rotherham Hospice with John for years to come.”

Thank you, John, for all that you do! The Hospice wouldn’t be where it would be today without your support and everyone here is excited to work with you more in the future.

Read all about John Breckin's amazing story in his biography. All proceeds go to Rotherham Hospice
John Breckin Ambassador for Rotherham Hospice

Thank you for all your support at the Rotherham Show!

volunteer at Rotherham Show

Thank you to everyone who came by the Rotherham Hospice stand at this year’s Rotherham Show.

It was wonderful to meet so many supporters face to face, and to hear how Rotherham Hospice has touched your lives.

The Rotherham Show was your first chance to grab a Rotherham Hospice 2023 calendar, featuring beautiful local landmarks shot by our calendar photo competition winners. They did an amazing job showcasing what Rotherham has to offer. 

We also launched this year’s Christmas cards, and had an amazing array of bric-a-brac at bargain prices. 

If you missed out this time, limited stock of calendars, Christmas cards and diaries will be available in our charity shops and to buy online soon. Sign up to the Hospice email newsletter to find out when!

An absolutely enormous thank you goes out to our brilliant volunteers Batool, Fatima and Sam who helped man the Rotherham Hospice stand over the weekend. 

Our volunteers are a big part of what makes the Hospice such a special place. There are lots of different volunteering opportunities available to suit different skills and lifestyles. Find out more here.

We’d also like to thank our partners at Local Hospice Lottery who work tirelessly to support the Hospice through our lottery game. Playing Local Hospice Lottery is an easy way to support the Hospice, and each week somebody wins £2000 cash! It’s a win-win. Find out more and how to join Local Hospice Lottery here.

All proceeds from the Rotherham Show will go towards funding Rotherham Hospice’s vital end-of-life services, such as community nursing, the 14 bed In-Patient Unit and bereavement counselling. 

As a charity, Rotherham Hospice gets just 50% of its funding from the government, and needs to raise £3 million each year to keep supporting our Rotherham families. Thank you for your support!

Millers Legends come together for Rotherham Hospice

Miller Legends night cheque presentation

Rotherham Hospice is more than grateful for the members of Rotherham’s community that dedicate their time to fundraise for us. One such member is Kev Johnson, a long-time supporter of Rotherham Hospice, Rotherham United fan and pillar of the Rotherham community.  

This month, Kev organised a ‘Millers Legends Night’ at Rotherham Rugby Club, where fans of Rotherham United could join a Q&A session with some of their favourite ex-players, enjoy live music from Damian Luke and the Sweet Beast, and have a meal of pie and peas kindly provided by the Rugby Club themselves. 

A big thank you to John Stiles for hosting the Q&A, interviewing the likes of Millers Legends John Breckin (pictured with Kev Johnson), Guy Branston, Mark Todd, Ronnie Moore and Ben Pringle.

The night raised an amazing total of £6000 through ticket sales, raffle tickets and an auction, which will help fund patient care and bereavement support for our Rotherham families. The event wouldn’t have been possible without its incredible sponsors – Eric Twigg Foods, Cascade Drainage and Rainworth Skoda – and the generosity of those that donated the raffle prizes and auction items. 

All the staff & volunteers at Rotherham Hospice would like to thank Kev Johnson for organising such a brilliant event, dedicating his time to putting it all together and making sure it ran as smoothly as it did.

 Kev has raised money for Rotherham Hospice before by raffling off a signed RUFC shirt and donating excess funds from Mark Smith’s signed Shearer shirt to the Hospice. Altogether he has raised almost £10,000 for the Hospice this year alone! 

millers legend night

When asked why he chooses to support Rotherham Hospice, Kev says, “it’s a charity that’s at the heart of our community.”

And he’s not stopping! Kev has even bigger plans for fundraising events to come, watch this space!

Has Kev inspired you to be a Hospice Hero? You could run a race, do a bake sale, take on a daredevil challenge (check out our Events Diary to see what’s on) or fundraise via your business. There are lots of ways to get involved, find out more on our fundraising page.