Walsall Football Club are pleased to announce Acorns Children’s Hospice as a ‘Charity Partner’ – with the club aiming to raise £10,000 over the next 12 months.
This follows the news that Acorns has postponed the decision close its Black Country hospice until November and launched an urgent major public fundraising appeal to secure the longer-term future of the Walsall-based hospice.
The Club are hoping that raising the five-figure sum will help Acorns reach its £2million fundraising target.
A number of bucket collections throughout the season have been arranged, including one from the Saddlers’ pre-season friendly against Aston Villa in July.
The Club will also allow the use of its facilities free of charge for hospice events, invite staff and families at Acorns hospice in Walsall to Banks’s Stadium to watch home games throughout the season and hold a special fundraising lunch, which will also include a charity auction.
Last month, players Cameron Norman and Mat Sadler called into Acorns in the Black Country as part of the growing relationship with the charity, with the visits set to continue throughout the season.
Saddlers Chairman Leigh Pomlett said the Club will do ‘everything it can’ to support the Save Acorns Black Country Hospice Appeal.
Leigh said: “The hospice is a big part of the community and they’re very local to the club, that is why we are very keen to help them out where we can.
“We hope that our relationship with the hospice and its staff can grow over the duration of the season and I’d like to see their hard work and effort continue.
“Hopefully our fans will get behind the hospice like they have with the team and we can all support them in their time of need.”
Noel Cramer, Director of Supporter Engagement at Acorns, said: “What a fantastic boost to what is already becoming a very special partnership.
“Walsall FC has done some great work raising awareness of Acorns among their supporters and only last month we had two players visit staff and children at our Walsall hospice.
“We’re delighted the Club has now pledged to raise £10,000 for our Black Country Appeal. We can’t thank them enough. It’s this spirit that gives us hope that we can reach our £2million goal.”
The Save Acorns Black Country Hospice Appeal follows a commitment of significant new NHS funding from Black Country healthcare commissioners and an earlier announcement by NHS England that they would double their central funding support to the country’s children’s hospices over the next five years.
The appeal sets out to raise £2 million to towards the Walsall hospice until the full amount of new Government funding is reached.
For more information and to donate towards the Appeal, please visit www.acorns.org.uk/appeal
Pictures by Tim Sturgess.