The first of The FA’s 66 for 66 grant awards has gone to the charity of a player who won the World Cup for England 50 years ago this summer.
The FA is making 66 awards of £1,966 to football projects throughout the country, made either via County FAs to grassroots football clubs, or centrally by The FA to causes with which the players of 1966 are associated or support.
In Sir Bobby Charlton’s case, the charity is Find A Better Way, which he founded in 2011 after he visited minefields in former war zones. The charity acts as a major funding body for technological research into improving the tools available for the safe removal of landmines and explosives.
Sir Bobby was presented with the grant by FA Chairman Greg Dyke at the launch of the National Football Museum’s 1966 exhibition in Manchester.
He said: “I personally witnessed the destruction caused by landmines on visits to Cambodia and Bosnia as a Laureus Sport for Good Ambassador. The FA’s donation will be put to excellent use in the ongoing work to assist humanitarian de-mining teams to rid the world of the threat of landmines.”
Greg Dyke commented: “We’re delighted to support Sir Bobby’s charity in this way. From my discussions with various players from the 1966 squad in recent times, it is clear The FA has not done enough to mark their achievement – or simply keep in regular touch over the years.
“We are really keen to make amends for this, and these awards are one small way of saying thank you.
“We are also ensuring the players are invited to the various activities and events The FA is organising or supporting this year. One example is 1966 exhibition at the National Football Museum exhibition, and a mirror-image exhibition at Wembley.
“This will be launched on Monday 11 July, the day in 1966 when the World Cup kicked-off for the first and only time in this country.”
The overall 66 for 66 fund has been generated from income from last season’s Community Shield between Arsenal and Chelsea – with all the 1966 players, or their family, invited to this year’s clash between Leicester City and Manchester United at Wembley on Sunday 7 August.
Further 1966 activities and events culminate on the actual anniversary of England’s World Cup win, Saturday 30 July.
The day will feature World Cup 66 Live at the SSE Arena Wembley – a show re-living the afternoon when England won the World Cup. Tickets are still available for this event at www.wc66.org.
The evening will feature a prestigious Gala Dinner at the stadium, for which tickets are also still available at www.66winners.com.
