Players to wear Heart on Sleeve for Foundation

Sunderland AFC’s official charity Foundation of Light helps around 20,000 young people and their families to live happier, healthier lives each year.   

When the Black Cats host QPR at the Stadium of Light next month, the club will host Foundation of Light Day, the biggest fundraising event of the calendar, to support the work of the Foundation of Light. 

The game against Queens Park Rangers will showcase the work of the charity while raising vital funds for their ‘Heart On Your Sleeve’ campaign.

Recent studies have shown that health inequalities in the UK are getting worse, with the gap between the North East and the South of England worsening. People in communities across our region are living shorter lives; spending most of them in poor health.

Foundation of Light aims to tackle these issues, encouraging parents and grandparents to stay both physically and mentally active to inspire the next generation to do the same.

Through various initiatives and programmes and links with Sunderland AFC, the Foundation gives families the opportunity to access sports and fitness sessions, mental health resources and experience the facilities at the Beacon of Light community hub.

How your money can help:  

• £5 would pay for a young person with a disability access to a sports session 
• £8 pays for an older person to attend activities to stay socially active and improve physical and mental wellbeing  
• £40 will pay for a young person to have access to sessions supporting their physical, mental, and emotional health 
• £100 allows us to develop mental health resources to support up to five people

During the QPR game, players will wear their ‘Hearts on their Sleeve’ with a commemorative shirt sleeve patch. 

Thanks to Hays Travel, SAFC’s official shirt sleeve sponsor, the Foundation’s logo will be displayed on shirts for this game. 

The one-off shirts will be signed by players after the game and be put up for auction, with all proceeds supporting the Heart on Your Sleeve campaign.

The club will also be supporting the cause with £1 from every match ticket sold going to the Foundation as well as a cashback ticket offer, where supporters can purchase two tickets for £20 (£10 each) via their local school or sports club and £5 from every pair of tickets purchased will be donated to the school or sports club and the Foundation.

Foundation of Light CEO Lesley Spuhler explained: “Our Heart On Your Sleeve campaign wants to close the gap on the North-South divide in health and quality of life for families across the region. All donations and money raised around Foundation of Light Day help us make a real and life-changing difference; allowing us to provide more resources and creating more opportunities for those who might be struggling.” 

How supporters can get involved: 

#BuzzChallenge – remember the game Buzz Off?! The nostalgia will come flooding back in the Matchday Fan Zone at the Beacon of Light with the Foundation of Light’s Buzz Challenge game – make sure you give it a go and try and make the leaderboard.

Red and White Week – the week before the QPR game from Monday 11 March, we’re encouraging everyone to celebrate the work of the Foundation by flying the red and white flag at their workplace, school or wherever they are and making a donation to the Foundation www.justgiving.com/campaign/heartonyoursleeve 

Text FOLFIVE to 70085 to make a £5 donation or text FOLTEN to donate £10