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Miller, on receiving the generous amount, said: “Everyone at Oxford Head Injury Services is so impressed with Andrew and his team’s fund raising with Play2Give and we are hugely grateful for the support they are giving us. At a time of such financial pressure on charities, it is particularly important that we receive support from our community to enable us to confirm us providing the essential services that we do to those affected by ABI, like Andrew himself receives through us. Thank you Andrew and all the Play2Give team”

Andrew added: “I am delighted to present this huge cheque to a cause that means so much to me.  Oxford Head Injury Services do amazing work to support so many living with brain injuries and such as the fact I receive that first-hand like so many others that this inspires me to lend my support to keep Headway’s work going.  It’s a cause that means a lot to all of us at Play2Give, as two of the team’s dad has received support from Headway over a year until his funding was sadly stopped after he too had come through treatment years ago.  We look forward to raising more in 2016 through more exciting fundraising initiatives and events and hope to continue making headway for such a fantastic cause!”

Below, read Chief Executive of Headway UK, Peter McCabe’s letter of support to our local services provided here at Oxford Head Injury Services. The continued support of the national charity is fully appreciated.

“For over 30 years, Oxford Head Injury Services has been providing support to individuals and families across the county affected by acquired brain injury. In that time, the charity has helped thousands of people to rebuild their lives, relearn lost skills that many of us take for granted, and regain varying degrees of independence.

The value of the charity’s work cannot be overstated. Over the years, Oxford Head Injury Services’s work has prevented numerous families from falling apart and requiring more costly long-term support as a result. Through its family and carers support programmes, rehabilitation sessions including life skills and IT training, and its outreach and community support services, the charity has been a lifeline to a great many families who might otherwise not have coped.

The value for money provided by Oxford Head Injury Services is exceptional. Without the intervention of the charity, many families would have felt unable to cope and may have been forced to turn to the council to provide residential care for a loved one with a brain injury. This action would be at a huge cost to the public purse – a cost far in excess of supporting an established, local charity with a history of helping people cope with the long-term effects of brain injury.

We recognise that Oxfordshire County Council – like all other councils across the UK – is facing an unprecedented squeeze on funding as a consequence of cuts in support from central government. However, investing in charities and services that can prevent additional burden to associated public services (GPs, mental health services, hospitals, residential care, and the criminal justice system to name a few) has to continue.

Cutting funding to Oxford Head Injury Services could result in this vital charity being forced to close its doors. The effect of this would be catastrophic not only to the hundreds of local families it supports, but in the long run to the public purse.

I urge the people of Oxfordshire to help ensure Headway can continue to provide services to some of the most vulnerable people in their local community.”