JONATHAN WOODGATE helped kick off the Barclays Premier League's flagship community programme, Creating Chances, when he took part in a stopwatch challenge at Teesside Hospice.

The Premier League is donating £50,000 to local charities through the scheme, with Middlesbrough Football Club having chosen 25 good causes to receive £2,000 each.

And Middlesbrough-based Teesside Hospice is one of several charities to have also "won" a Boro player to help raise awareness of their cause.

Teesside Hospice, which needs to raise £3,500 a day to cover running costs, is appealing for new volunteers, especially males, to help out with the wide range of tasks required to run a successful operation.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the hospice's foundation, England defender Woodgate will, in just two hours, attempted to take part in 25 tasks normally carried out by hospice volunteers.

The first part of Woodgate's 25-part whistle-stop tour started at Teesside Hospice itself on Cambridge Road where he took part in the following: 1. Quiz with guests. 2. Talks with guests. 3. Craft room activities. 4. Make coffee. 5. Serve customers in coffee shop. 6. Sign autographs in childrens' room. 7. Help in hairdressing salon. 8. Present long service awards. 9. Help with gardening. 10. Help with reception. 11. Balloon release.

The stopwatch challenge continued at the hospice trading company in Linthorpe Village and featured: 12. Meet weekly lotto winner. 13. Ring the next lotto winner. 14. Fold tombola tickets. 15. Help with mail-out. 16. Operate fundraising database. 17. Answer phone in shop. 18. Put signed Boro shirt and ball on Ebay. 19. Open mail. 20. Put price-tags on stock. 21. Serve shop customers. 22. Stock shelves. 23. Put furniture on delivery van. 24. Help dress shop window. 25. Promote 'heart strings' fundraiser.

Woodgate's visit to Teesside Hospice will feature on Football Focus today (Saturday), while it will also feature in national trailers on BBC1, 2 and 3.

Teesside Hospice Care Foundation exists to enhance the lives of local people suffering from progressive, life-limiting illnesses. It cares for over 3,000 individuals through a 10-bed in-patient centre, day care, bereavement counseling service and outpatient clinics.

Maureen Thompson, chief executive of Teesside Hospice, said: "Most people are surprised to learn that our services are not fully funded by the NHS. Running costs are in excess of £1.9m per year, with approximately 40% coming from the NHS.

"We rely heavily on the support of local people to help raise the money needed. Much of this is achieved with the help of our staff and volunteers who work within our 10 local charity shops plus our eBay auction site.

"We also rely heavily on volunteers to assist in provision of patient services. The role of volunteer is extremely diverse and without them the hospice would not exist. However, our volunteers are predominantly female, so we would love more males to come forward."

During late September and early October, Boro players will make further Creating Chances community appearances for Butterwick Children's Hospice, Abbey Hill Special School, Safer Middlesbrough Partnership, the Carers' Resource Centre and Boro's own education schemes, Heading for Health, the Enterprise Academy and Football First.

Causes receiving £2,000 were Barnardos SECOS, The Clarke Lister Appeal, Cardiac Risk in the Youny, Daisy Chain Project, Eston Labour Club (for the Great North Air Ambulance), Grangetown Netball, Holistic Cancer Care, Macmillan, Middlesbrough Disabled Supporters Association, Middlesbrough Live at Home Scheme, Mike Findley MND Fund, Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre, North Yorkshire Crimebeat, Samaritans, Sea Cadets, St Michael's School, Billingham (for Help the Aged), The Twe12th Man, Whale Hill Community Association, York & District MIND, Zoe's Place.

'Places for Players' is the core element of the Premier League's Creating Chances programme. It will involve 200 Premier League players supporting charities and good causes across the country throughout September. A total of £1m will be distributed by the Premier League through the Creating Chances programme, benefiting over 500 good causes across the country.

Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League, said: "Creating Chances is a fantastic platform to help charities, good causes and community groups benefit from the Premier League clubs in their area. It will also highlight the ongoing activity and support that our clubs provide their local community and allow fans to meet with their players."