Arsenal squad continues Christmas tradition of annual charity matchday
Melanie May | 22 December 2017 | News
The Arsenal squad have continued their Christmas tradition of donating a day’s wages to The Arsenal Foundation at its annual charity matchday.
This year’s match took place against Newcastle last weekend (16 December), and saw Arsenal win 1:0.
The day sees the first-team squad and Arsène Wenger each donate a day’s wages, which they have done every Christmas since Arsenal’s move to Emirates Stadium. Football fans were also invited to donate to collection buckets at the match. 50p from every purchase of the programme also went to The Arsenal Foundation.
The money raised from the match will support the Foundation’s work with its charity partners. With Save the Children this involves creating more safe places for children to play football in north London and overseas, while with Bob Wilson’s Willow Foundation, the Foundation helps to provide special days to seriously ill young adults. The Foundation also works locally with Centrepoint and many others through the Gunners’ Fund and Islington Giving.
The match was heralded by a short film featuring goalkeeper Petr Cech catching coins instead of balls to put in collecting buckets.
#WeAreTheArsenal 🔴 pic.twitter.com/M8aSvMirwe
— The Arsenal Foundation (@AFC_Foundation) December 16, 2017
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Commenting on the match on the Arsenal Foundation site, Wenger said:
“It is an important quality at our club, to contribute to the Arsenal Foundation. It’s part of the historical values of our club and we are very happy to contribute on our side too, on a day like that.
“Overall I think it shows how much we care about that at the end of the season and I think as well that Arsenal Foundation does a great job.”
Thanks for all your support today for our fantastic partners @savechildrenuk & @Willow_Fdn pic.twitter.com/fJcUHZyQF3
— The Arsenal Foundation (@AFC_Foundation) December 16, 2017
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.