The Football Association has smashed its fundraising goal in generating more than £460,000 for official charity partner Teenage Cancer Trust.
After a staff vote, the partnership with Teenage Cancer Trust kicked off in January 2013 with a generous donation of £150,000 from The FA Community Shield distribution committee.
Coinciding with the 150th anniversary year, the £300,000 fundraising target was then exceeded thanks to the fantastic efforts of staff and supporters from across Wembley, St. George’s Park and the County FA structure.
Wembley Stadium shows The FA's fundraising
FA staff got involved in some weird and wonderful fundraising ranging from running the London Marathon dressed as The FA Cup, cycling 150 miles from Wembley to St. George’s Park, scaling the Three Peaks, taking part in skydives and abseils as well as an apprentice challenge, bake offs and kit sales.
Other highlights of the partnership included the England v Scotland match in August 2013 at Wembley Stadium. Dubbed the Teenage Cancer Trust international, the sold-out match not only raised money but boosted the charity’s profile with a short film played at half-time.
They also benefited from free advertising displayed along the perimeter of the pitch and in the match programme.
Club England and Wembley have also given young cancer patients once-in-a-lifetime experiences such as meeting the England team, enjoying hospitality at England matches and receiving tickets to a range of concerts.
England Manager Roy Hodgson paid a visit to patients in a Teenage Cancer Trust unit at University College Hospital in London, along with Ray Lewington and Gareth Southgate.
The money raised from the partnership will now go towards providing more hours of specialist care by teenage cancer experts in Teenage Cancer Trust units in NHS hospitals across the UK, as well as towards the construction of a new specialist Teenage Cancer Trust unit in Bristol which officially opened earlier this year.
England beat Scotland in the Teenage Cancer Trust International
FA General Secretary Alex Horne said: “This is an absolutely marvellous achievement by FA Group staff, with so many having been energised and engaged by the work of Teenage Cancer Trust.
"The overall amount raised is testament to their creativity in fundraising and it is great that the money will be going to such a worthy cause.
“It has been a very rewarding and fulfilling partnership, and I am sure we will continue to be associated with Teenage Cancer Trust in future.
"I know our England Under-21s players have recorded a special video that will help raise awareness of the signs of cancer among young people and it is great this will be a part of the charity’s schools’ programme going forward.”
Teenage Cancer Trust bucket collections at Wembley
Siobhan Dunn, Chief Executive for Teenage Cancer Trust said: “As we have seen, football can be a great force for good and to raise £460,000 is very impressive.
"We’re not a large charity and rely on donations and this partnership enables us to help so many more young people with cancer so that they and their families don’t have to face cancer alone.”
The new 2014-16 FA charity partner will be announced shortly after a similar selection process involving FA staff and the FA Community Shield distribution committee. For further information about the partnership visit www.teenagecancertrust.org
