Old Haileyburian Ali Burton is inviting members of the Haileybury community to support Do Good Friday, an annual sports tournament in London raising funds and awareness for mental health charities.

Ali left Haileybury in 2013, where he represented the school in 1st team football, rugby and tennis. After working in London as a transformation consultant, he now runs his own business, CATCH Cameras, which encourages people to spend less time on their phones and reconnect with the world around them through analogue film photography.

Alongside his work, Ali runs a charity initiative with his two brothers and two close friends. Their flagship event each year is Do Good Friday, a football and netball tournament followed by a social gathering, bringing people together through sport while raising funds for mental health causes.

Turning Grief Into Something Positive

The first Do Good Friday took place in 2023. Just weeks later, the group experienced a devastating loss when their close friend and teammate Ed died by suicide.

Since then, the event has taken on an even deeper meaning.

Rather than letting grief remain unspoken, the organisers chose to channel it into something positive, creating a space for people to come together, connect and support one another through sport and community.

Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among young people in the UK. While events like this cannot solve such a complex issue, the team behind Do Good Friday believe strongly in the power of movement, conversation and real-world connection to support mental wellbeing.

£50,000 Raised & Aiming Even Higher

Over the past three years, Do Good Friday has raised £50,000 for mental health charities.

This year’s event will take place in London on Good Friday, 3 April, and the organisers hope it will be the biggest yet, both in participation and fundraising impact.

All proceeds from this year’s event will go to Cameron’s Companions, a charity focused on suicide prevention and supporting people who may be struggling with their mental health. https://www.cameronscompanions.com/

How The Haileybury Community Can Help

Ali and the organising team would love support from the Haileybury network. There are several ways to get involved:

Enter a netball team into the tournament (football entries are now full)
Donate a prize for the raffle or auction
Support the event or charity fundraising
Share the event with anyone who might be interested

The organisers are also happy to help combine players into teams, so individuals or small groups are encouraged to get in touch even if they don’t have a full team.

Get Involved

For more information or to register: