Outspoken ice hockey commentator and Sky Sports pundit David Simms has returned to Solihull to hold a special event in aid of Solihull Barons skipper Rob Eley’s 19for19 charity campaign.

David Simms was a well-known figure at the Solihull club and was involved in taking part of the team to Sheffield to set up, the, now English Champions, Sheffield Steelers. He returned to the town where it all started to hold an ‘Evening with’ event to discuss the past, present and future of ice hockey in Solihull and across the country.

The event raised almost £2,000 for Rob Eley’s 19for19 testimonial campaign which is raising money for the Ward 19 Cancer Unit at Heartlands Hospital and the Heart of England Cancer Services. These services support cancer patients from across Birmingham and Solihull.

David said: “I’ve been touring the country for the past couple of years ‘educating’ hockey fans in the north, east, south and west. It was about time I came back to where it all started for me, Solihull. Rob’s 19for19 campaign seems the perfect excuse.”

For more information about this campaign and a full calendar of events for Rob Eley’s testimonial year, please visit www.heartofenglandcharity.org.uk/19for19. To keep up to date with the campaign you can do so via the Facebook page www.facebook.com/19for19 and also by following @19for19 on twitter.

The Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust Charity supports the patients and staff at Solihull, Good Hope and Heartlands Hospitals as well as the Birmingham Chest Clinic.

For more information on the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust Charity, how to get involved in fundraising or to make a donation to a hospital, ward or appeal, please visit www.heartofenglandcharity.org.uk.