ARSENAL STARS GET FURRY FOR GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL CHILDREN’S CHARITY
Gunners’ Charity of the Season benefits from players’ generosity
Arsenal Football Club is today proud to release ‘Fundraising Day’, a promotional short film starring Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, Andrey Arshavin and Bacary Sagna dressed as furry animals in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH), the Gunners’ Charity of the Season.
The light-hearted film sees the players and Club Manager Arsène Wenger join forces with four patients from the Hospital as they embark upon the streets of London to fundraise for the charity. ‘Fundraising Day’ reflects the players’ support for the children and their families who are treated at the world-renowned Hospital as they will be donating a day’s wages to help raise funds on Sunday 29th November when Arsenal dedicates its Premier League match against Chelsea Football Club to the Charity.
The Club is encouraging supporters to give what they can through the ‘Be a Gooner. Be a Giver.’ campaign which has a £500,000 fundraising target over the 2009/10 season and this dedicated matchday will be a milestone for the partnership on the road to achieving this goal.
The advert was created and shot by the agency, Brothers and Sisters, and includes a voiceover by dedicated Gooner and national treasure Barbara Windsor MBE, who is also a former patient and long-time supporter of Great Ormond Street Hospital. The film will appear on www.beagoonerbeagiver.org from 18 November in the run-up to the dedicated matchday and aims to encourage supporters to join in and donate through the site.
Arsenal Captain, Cesc Fabregas who stars in the advert and is donating a day’s wages said: “I visited Great Ormond Street Hospital back in August so I know what this means to the charity and the patients. I encourage all supporters to follow our lead and give what they can. This advert is a bit of fun for the players and we hope supporters enjoy it, but there is a very real message in it about helping this Hospital and we hope to raise lots of money for this worthwhile cause.”
Arsenal Manager, Arsène Wenger added: “The team and I have met some patients from Great Ormond Street Hospital on several occasions throughout the partnership so far and we’re all struck by the strength and courage they show in fighting their illnesses. We understand the importance of helping to improve the facilities at the Hospital and we’re encouraging all Arsenal fans to help in whatever way they can. The dedicated matchday highlights the work of the Charity and gives players, staff and supporters the chance to do something, however small, to help reach this target.”
Dr Jane Collins, Chief Executive of Great Ormond Street Hospital said: "We're so looking forward to our dedicated matchday and so grateful to the players, directors and fans for raising money to help us build our new Lung Function Unit. It will make such a difference to our patients and their families.”
Steve Shannon, Creative Director from brothers and sisters, comments: “We were happy to give our time to this project and all our crew really enjoyed themselves over the two days of filming. It’s a serious message and a great cause, but we also wanted to highlight the importance of giving, which for these Premier League footballers, meant more than money. We also wanted to make the film really fun - the players were great sports dressing up in the costumes and the relationship between the kids and the players shines through on film.”
Over the course of the season, through the ‘Be a Gooner. Be a Giver.’ campaign, the Gunners will aim to raise £500,000 which will help Great Ormond Street Hospital build a new Arsenal Lung Function Unit for children who have difficulty breathing or sleeping. The money raised, through fundraising initiatives such as the dedicated matchday, will fund this brand new Unit which will make such a difference to the patients and families at the Hospital.