Mens Health charity joins up with U's.
Colchester United have teamed up with local mens’ health charity CHAPS to spread the word on the importance of keeping your eye on your health.
CHAPS will be matchball sponsors at all of the U’s home games this season, as they use the club’s matchdays to target men of all ages and ensure that they’re on top of their wellbeing in general and their testicular health in particular.
What’s more, the charity will also be sponsoring U’s first teamers Alex Gilbey and Drey Wright for the coming season as well.
U’s Media Manager Matt Hudson said: “We have had a very successful relationship with CHAPS in recent years, so this is a fantastic partnership for the coming season.
“It’s a great way for CHAPS to spread the word amongst thousands of local men during the course of the next year and we will be working hard to help the charity tell their story to our wide range of supporters.
“Alex and Drey are two of our homegrown talents that have made it into the first team squad and they’ll be playing a big part in helping CHAPS get their message out there to our younger fans as well.”
Originally founded in 2000 as a local prostate cancer charity - Colchester Has Active Prostate Support - CHAPS is now an advocate for all men's health issues.
The causes of premature male deaths are well known: heart disease, smoking, prostate cancer, diabetes to name but a few. Unfortunately men are notoriously slow to react to early warning signs of illness and rarely ever seek medical attention until something has actually gone wrong.
Furthermore men, especially the middle aged, have shown little interest in actively seeking out a healthy lifestyle or the resources available to achieve this. CHAPS aim is to change this.
Professor Chris Booth, founder of the charity, said of the partnership with the U’s: "The Men's Health partnership with Colchester United is fantastic and is leading to great things.
"Through the club we are reaching far more men locally and the partnership model we have jointly developed is now being spread across East Anglia. This is a unique achievement for the club!"