Family and friends of a Chesterfield taxi driver have launched a football card competition and small festival to raise funds for charity.

Steve Phillips, of Chesterfield, passed away on January 12 at the age of 50, after a long and brave fight with myeloma – a blood cancer.

To commemorate Steve, his niece Reo Hope and her husband Joshua have launched a football card competition with 150 entries for £15 per entry. All funds raised from the football cards will be donated to Myeloma UK – a charity supporting myeloma sufferers.

The lucky winner will have a 20-square-metre Indian stone patio built for free by the couple’s J Hopes Construction and Landscaping company.

Steve Phillips, of Chesterfield, has passed away following a long fight with myeloma, leaving behind his wife Ria, two sons Connor and Corey, parents Phil and Christine, his dog Cooper, as well as nephews and nieces.

placeholder image — Steve Phillips, of Chesterfield, has passed away following a long fight with myeloma, leaving behind his wife Ria, two sons Connor and Corey, parents Phil and Christine, his dog Cooper, as well as nephews and nieces.

Joshua said: “Steve was a very special man who has had a tough road but always helped his family, friends and community. I feel it’s only right we do something special in his memory.”

Anyone who would like to enter the competition should contact Reo Hope via Facebook.

On top of that, Hollies Inspiring Inkersall Community Group is hosting a small music festival called Fats-Fest on Sunday, June 30 in memory of Steve – with all funds donated to Myeloma UK.

The event which will see stalls, food vendors, kids games, a bar and Steve’s favourite music is called Fats-Fest as a tribute to Steve who was known as Fats among his friends.

Anyone who can’t attend the festival but would like to make a donation in memory of Steve can do so via The Hollies Inspiring Inkersall Community Group’s GoFundMe page.

Tina Harris-Horner said on the group’s fundraising page: “The impact Steve's death had on our community was massive he was loved by so many. He gave so much to the people in and around our community that it only seemed right to do something in his memory. He would love it (well we hope he would).”

Steve was well-known in Chesterfield as a ‘special family man’, a ‘valued’ taxi driver for A-line taxis and an ‘all-around true gentleman’. He left behind his wife Ria, two sons Connor and Corey, parents Phil and Christine, his dog Cooper, as well as nephews and nieces.