Abby’s Heroes stages first dodgeball tournament to raise funds

Abby’s Heroes staged its first dodgeball tournament on July 16, 2026, at Ace Sports, pulling five local businesses into a fundraiser built around one of sport’s simplest formats. The charity said the event raised a charitable sum for its work supporting families at Southampton General, and it marked the organisation’s first run at turning dodgeball into a fundraising product.

That is what made the night work. Dodgeball does not need a long runway, expensive equipment or a roster full of specialists, which makes it a clean fit for businesses that want to compete together without months of preparation. Five local companies were willing to take part, and that alone tells you the event had the right mix of accessibility and team appeal. It was competitive enough to feel like sport, but loose enough to invite newcomers into the same room without intimidating them out of it.

Abby’s Heroes has already framed the event as Dodgeball Tournament a First for Abby’s Heroes, and the label matters because it points to something bigger than a single charity night. This was not a one-off school gym novelty dressed up for a good cause. It was a test case for whether a familiar game can be repurposed into a repeatable community fundraiser, with a host venue, local business entries and a charity mission all pulling in the same direction.

For Abby’s Heroes, that mission is specific: support for families at Southampton General. That gives the tournament a sharper local edge than a generic fun run or gala, because the people backing the event know exactly where the money is going. The charity’s first swing at dodgeball now gives it a working model to build on, and it gives other groups a straightforward blueprint if they want an event that is easy to enter, easy to sell and energetic enough to bring businesses back for another round.