On 24 January The FA Group announced its four major charity partners up until the UEFA Euro Championship in 2012.
Children’s charity Action for Children joins The FA Group’s scheme for the first time while long term partners The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK, international charity Coaching for Hope and UK football programme Street League will continue their relationships until the European Championship next year.
All the selected charities went through a stringent selection process that this year attracted a record number of applications, and once again the partners were chosen to incorporate a wide range of charity work both locally and internationally.
As well as a substantial five-figure financial donation from The FA's Community Shield Fund, all the charities benefit from a direct association with The FA which has a proud history of charity work in its 148 year history.
Charity partners are entitled to a host of FA Group benefits which they will use to raise funds including signed England shirts for auction, mascot places, Wembley Stadium Tours, exposure in The FA’s matchday programmes, tickets for England internationals and an annual fundraising event at Wembley Stadium.
Speaking about the new partners FA Vice Chairman Barry Bright said: “I am very pleased to confirm The FA Group’s four new charity partners. Once again we have chosen partners who make a massive difference to the lives of adults and children both nationally and internationally, with the theme of football at the very core of their excellent work.”
Dame Clare Tickell from Action for Children added: “We are very much looking forward to working with The FA to raise both awareness and money as we continue our goal of making local communities healthier and happier. We are delighted that this partnership will help us support more of the most vulnerable and neglected children in the UK.”
Stephanie Moore MBE, founder of The Bobby Moore Fund commented: "We are thrilled and honoured to have been selected as one of The FA Group’s charity partners and look forward to continuing our successful partnership over the next 18 months.
“Using Bobby’s fabulous footballing legacy, together we can raise essential funds for bowel cancer research and increase people’s awareness of this disease, a disease which claims 44 lives every day in the UK but which is over 90% treatable if caught early enough.”
Matt Stevenson Dodd from Street League said: “Street League is delighted to have been selected to continue our partnership. The endorsement of football’s governing body is incredibly important to our charity given our mission to change lives through football. We look forward to working closely with The FA throughout 2011.”
Jane Carter, Coaching for Hope Director said: “We are delighted to be selected as the FA's international charity partner. We share a common vision and goal; to make football accessible to as many people in some of the poorest communities across the world.”
The FA will also continue to be a huge supporter of the Armed Forces and in 2010 a total of 5,000 tickets were donated through charity Tickets for Troops for England fixtures and The FA Cup Semi-Finals, whilst the England v Mexico game at Wembley in May was dedicated to the troops.
