Sporting football shirts to help beat bowel cancer
Howard Lake | 28 March 2025 | News
Cancer Research UK is celebrating Football Shirt Friday with portrait photographer and vintage football shirt aficionado Louis Bever.
Cancer Research UK has launched a collaboration with London-based fashion and sportswear photographer Louis Bever, in support of Football Shirt Friday, which will take place on 25 April, raising money for the Bobby Moore Fund.
The photo campaign features three cancer survivors in striking retro football shirts that were donated to the charity and aims to encourage football fans across the UK to get out their favourite football shirt, sign up and take part.
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Retro shirts on eBay
For those who would like to get hold of one of the campaign’s retro shirts to wear this Football Shirt Friday, they can be bought through the Cancer Research UK eBay store, alongside 100 other football tops.
All proceeds will go to the Bobby Moore Fund, which raises money for life-saving bowel cancer research.
The Football Shirt Friday collection includes rare tops and collectables, vintage and modern shirts, and even some signed merchandise. Star items that were donated to the charity in previous years include a Manchester United shirt, signed by David Beckham, as well as a signed Tottenham shirt.
Football Shirt Friday
Football Shirt Friday is taking place on 25 April to tackle bowel cancer in memory of England and West Ham footballer Bobby Moore, who died of the disease 32 years ago.
Louis Bever, the creative brain behind the photo series and a keen football shirt collector himself, first picked up a camera when he was a child – a gift from his grandfather he fondly remembers. The 30-year-old has worked with brands like Ralph Lauren, Adidas, Uniqlo, Umbro, Manchester United, and Nike while also shooting an ongoing football shirt portrait series in his free time.
Louis said of his collaboration with Cancer Research UK: “Shooting football shirts has been a passion of mine for years and doing it in aid of Cancer Research UK makes it even more worthwhile.
“I own over 300 shirts myself, and I loved going through Cancer Research UK’s selection – there are some real gems available.
“I really hope our collab inspires people to buy the shirts and take part in Football Shirt Friday. This is such an important cause and I’m happy I can support it.”
All pictures for the Cancer Research UK campaign were shot in Louis’ flat in East London; and the shirts matched carefully to each model: their club-preferences, as well as their looks.
Amanda, a 51-year-old bowel cancer survivor who took part in the shoot, said: “The shoot with Louis was brilliant and it was such a nice atmosphere. No matter what team you support, it’s all for a great cause and it’s great to see people rally together for Football Shirt Friday”.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.