A CASH-STRAPPED baby's hospice has secured much-needed support from a football club and software firm.

For many years, IAMTech has worked with Middlesbrough Football Club on numerous marketing initiatives – but now the business has moved the goalposts to help neighbouring baby hospice Zoe's Place.

The Teesside-firm has donated the sponsorship of the front of junior shirts asset to Zoe’s Place, which means the charity, will feature on the children’s shirts when the football season starts this month.

Earlier this year, the Middlesbrough-based hospice warned they were in the "most challenging times" they'd ever faced and would be forced to close for two nights a week due to financial hardship, meaning they would be unable to offer emergency respite for families.

Bosses at Zoe’s Place say this generous donation will result in maximum exposure for the hospice which lacks a marketing budget needed to promote its valuable work through marketing initiatives.

Mark Guidery , general manager said: “The awareness this donation will bring for Zoe’s Place is incredible, we cannot thank Ross Coulman and his team at IAMTech enough for this generous gift.

"It’s sad that many local charities are sometimes overlooked because they don’t have the budget to promote themselves on a big enough platform. Our valuable funds are needed to provide care to the amazing babies and children welcomed by our nurses every day. It costs approximately £29 per hour to fund each of our six therapy cots and every penny counts.

“We are touched by this amazing opportunity and thrilled that IAMTech has helped bring Zoe’s Place into the homes of thousands of football fans – helping to raise the profile of the incredible work our nurses carry out here in Middlesbrough.”

Boro’s head of commercial, Lee Fryett, said: “IAMTech have made an incredible gesture by donating the front-of-shirt asset to Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice."