Supporting Children with Cancer
Bengeo Tigers are proud to be teaming up with a National children's cancer charity in a unique partnership that could change the face of grassroots football.
The name of 'Children with Cancer UK’ will be emblazoned across The Tigers' shirts for next season. This is the first time that the club has carried a sponsor, and instead of choosing a lucrative commercial sponsor the club has decided to partner with the charity to help increase awareness around childhood cancers.
It is believed that having a charity take the space on a grassroots club's team kit is unique, and the move echoes the work of professional clubs such as Barcelona whose shirts have borne the Unicef crest in the past.
The club approached Children with Cancer UK, who are the leading national children's charity dedicated to the fight against all childhood cancers, after deciding to build on its nationally recognised child welfare work to now include charitable efforts to worthy causes outside the club.
Dave Thomas, Chairman of Bengeo Tigers, said: “This partnership is more important and more valuable to us than any commercial opportunity. Not only do we want to make a difference to the lives of kids that are part of our club, we can now extend our influence by working with Children with Cancer UK. To know that every hour we spend doing club work is not only helping our kids, but potentially helping other children in real need will give everyone connected to the club real sense of pride and worth.’'
From their official Twitter feed (@CwC_UK) the charity tweeted ''@BengeoTigersOff Thanks, you guys! Very exciting - hopefully we'll be a good luck charm :)''
Despite the usual financial pressures to chase commercial sponsors, the club believes that it’s the unique ethos and fundamental values that are most important to its members.
Dave Thomas added ‘’By entering into this partnership we underpin that ethos, and we make people proud to be associated with the club. We hope that this encourages more parents, carers, grandparents, siblings and friends of families to get involved in the work we do. Over the course of the next 12 months we will be looking to raise and donate money to the charity through sponsored events, donations and other initiatives that we’ll be announcing. This is a fledgling relationship and although we are not 100% sure what direction it will take us we are incredibly excited about the possibilities.''
BTFC Committee