Club to work with four great causes.
With Christmas just around the corner, four charities have received an early gift with the news that they have been chosen as the club’s official charity partners for the next twelve months.
For the past four years, the club have selected four great causes to work closely with over the course of a year.
Each charity partner gains a wide range of benefits associated with their partnership with Colchester United, as well as the added profile in working with the county’s leading football club.
Each charity partner gains a wide range of benefits associated with their partnership with Colchester United, as well as the added profile in working with the county’s leading football club.
Once again, the past couple of months have seen us inundated with applications and enquiries from some incredible causes.
At a time where there remains such financial uncertainty in the world, the work that the charities do across a wide range of age groups certainly made it a very difficult choice this year.
At a time where there remains such financial uncertainty in the world, the work that the charities do across a wide range of age groups certainly made it a very difficult choice this year.
After plenty of discussion and consideration, the four charities were eventually chosen and the good news given to the lucky quartet.
What’s more, this year the U’s will also be offering opportunities to the charities that applied but were not chosen as an Official Partner, stretching the breadth of our work across the local community.
“As always, the selection process was a hugely interesting one,” U’s Media Manager Matt Hudson said.
“There are so many great charities doing some unbelievable work in our local community and making a massive impact on the lives of those that live within our local area.
“We had plenty of options to consider with this year’s applicants, many of whom touch directly on the lives of our supporters, both young and old.
“We believe, after much discussion, we have chosen four excellent partners to work with this year and have given things a slight twist this year to ensure that all parts of the club get behind our four partners.”
That twist will see one of the four charities be taken on by the U’s Academy as a project for the year to raise plenty of much needed funds.
The Academy age groups will be encouraged to put on events and activities through the next twelve months to help raise funds for the first of this year’s partners, The David Randall Foundation, based in Maldon.
“It feels especially fitting that the academy of Colchester United are supporting our charity that in turn supports young people,” Neil Foster of the Foundation told the club's website.
The U’s will also be supporting Teenage Cancer Trust once again this season.
Teenage Cancer Trust has established a strong bond with the U’s over the years, from their first association with us around the tragic death of Emily Begg through to last season’s epic endurance effort by chairman Robbie Cowling.
Ian Norris, regional fundraiser for Teenage Cancer Trust in East Anglia said: “We are so grateful to Colchester United FC for selecting Teenage Cancer Trust as its charity partner once again.
“We rely on donations and so all funds raised by the club will help us maintain our specialist units, fund specialist staff and support the free cancer awareness sessions we run in schools, colleges and universities.”
The two other charities that we have chosen also work firmly within our local communities.
The first is Lexden Springs School, based in the town. This special needs school is aiming to raise £100,000 for a specially adapted playground on the premises for the pupils to use.
And our final charity is Age UK (Colchester).
As we venture into the coldest times of year, the challenges facing our elderly population become ever more important and the club are looking forward to working with Age UK’s local staff to make a positive impact within our community.
As we venture into the coldest times of year, the challenges facing our elderly population become ever more important and the club are looking forward to working with Age UK’s local staff to make a positive impact within our community.
The four charities will all benefit from the wide ranging Charity Partner package, which includes:-
- The opportunity to hold a Community Event at the stadium
- Player visits throughout the season
- Signed ball and signed shirt for use in auctions/raffles
- Use of an executive box on a first team matchday
- Charity collection at a first team matchday
- Quarter page advert in the matchday programme
- Quarter page advert in The Eagle
ABOUT OUR FOUR CHARITIES
Age UK Colchester
We work with and for older people, in the Borough of Colchester, operating from our base at Globe House, 6 George Street, Colchester. We offer:
Advice Service
Are you entitled to more money?
More than £5 billion of benefits go unclaimed by older people each year – let us help make it easier. We offer home visits to assist with applications. We can assist with care and support – helping you to find out what is available.
Social Clubs and Activities
Monthly— Activ8Club and Knit & Natter Group
Weekly—Coffee Mornings on Wednesdays and Fridays
Chairobics, fun seated exercise sessions on a Tuesday PM
Telephone Information Service
Consumer Support and Energy Advice
Legal Advice Surgery
Computer Courses
For details of all these services please contact the Age UK team on 01206 368420 or email enquiries@ageukcolchester.org.uk.
David Randall Foundation
Local charity inspired by the courage and determination of David Randall, a lifelong member of Maldon CC and close friend and cricket team mate of England Captain and ex-Maldon player Alastair Cook, the charity’s patron.
When David learned of his incurable condition at only 27 years of age, he immediately set about living life to the full.
The charity has two separate aims; Firstly, to encourage young dedicated sports people and musicians, restrained by financial means, to pursue their ambitions and secondly to give those with life limiting illnesses the opportunity to live life to the full, for as long as possible by providing financial support to brighten those fleeting days and fill some of them with the priceless memory of happy times.
For more information, visit www.davidrandallfoundation.org.
Lexden Springs
The 100,000 Smiles campaign aims to raise £100,000 to pay for a new play area at the Lexden Springs school. It would include swings and a roundabout which can be used by disabled children including those in wheelchairs.
For the more able children, there would be a rope climbing frame. A bubble tunnel and wobble board would assist the children with their agility and balance as would a wavy bridge.
A wavy mirror provides sensory stimulation for children and underneath, a spongy floor would ensure children are not hurt if they fall.
Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and chances of survival for young people with cancer aged between 13 and 24.
We fund and build specialist units in NHS hospitals and provide dedicated staff, bringing young people together so they can be treated by teenage cancer experts in the best place for them.
We fund and build specialist units in NHS hospitals and provide dedicated staff, bringing young people together so they can be treated by teenage cancer experts in the best place for them.
We also educate young people in schools about cancer to help improve the speed and quality of diagnosis.
.www.teenagecancertrust.org
Help transform the lives of young people with cancer. Visit
We rely on donations to fund our vital work.
We rely on donations to fund our vital work.