Look To The Stars News: Arsenal

Arsenal Players Get Cute And Fluffy For Charity

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Top Arsenal players Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, Andrey Arshavin and Bacary Sagna dressed up in furry animal costumes to raise money for sick children this week.

They dressed up as a lion, rabbit, shark and an owl to walk the streets and fundraise for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH).

Club manager Arsene Wenger said, “The team and I have met some patients from Great Ormond Street Hospital on several occasions…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 we can.”

The players each donated a day’s wages to the team’s “Be a Gooner. Be a Giver” campaign. They hope to raise 500,000 Euros (US$740,000) toward a lung function unit for children who have difficulty breathing or sleeping.

The players and Wenger star in a promotional video for their fundraiser. The club is conducting a fundraising matchday. Supporters are encouraged to contribute via www.beagoonerbeagiver.org.

Cystic Fibrosis Sufferer Meets Football Heroes

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:30:00 -0000

A young cystic fibrosis sufferer from the UK named Becks had one wish – to meet the England football team. His dream recently came true at a England training session that was held at the Arsenal training ground – thanks to the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

After watching the manager put the team through their paces, Becks had the chance to meet the players – all of whom signed his shirt – including footballing legends David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Jon Terry.

Becks suffers from cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition that lines the lungs and digestive system with a sticky mucus. Becks has to undergo twice-daily physiotherapy and nebulisers as well as taking a cocktail of pills with each meal. He also has to put up with long stints in hospital. Becks never complains and dreams of one day being a famous footballer.

Beck’s Mum Bonnie said, “We would like to thank Starlight so much! I have never seen him so excited.”

Starlight and the FA joined together to grant his special wish.

Signed Arsenal Boots To Be Auctioned For Charity

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Football fans listen up – the entire Arsenal Team have signed a pair of their own boots and kindly donated them to the charity Footsteps Foundation, who help disabled children take their first steps.

 This amazing auction includes signed boots from Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas, Eduardo and Thomas Vermelen. There are also going to be many other great auction items included, which will all be perfect gifts for Christmas.

The auction starts today, November 9, and can be accessed at BuyOnceGiveTwice.co.uk, the UK’s premiere celebrity charity auction site.

And that’s not the only auction currently being run on this great site – they are also hosting a very special event for Firefly International.

At the age of 21, Ellie Maxwell founded Firefly International, a charity whose aim is to foster multi-ethnic youth projects in Bosnia and elsewhere. Firefly works to build peace in divided communities around the world by supporting children and young people from different backgrounds to form friendships and mutual respect. It brings young people together in positive, fun and life-affirming activities ranging from music-making to theatre groups. These young people go on to become ambassadors for peace within their own families and communities both now and as adults. In this way Firefly is tackling conflict now as well as planting the seeds of peace for the future.  

Ellie sadly died on 6th April 2009 at the age of 32. In November, her family and friends are holding a benefit evening for 500 guests, in order to raise money for Ellie’s last project: the building of Firefly’s own multi-ethnic youth centre in Brcko, Bosnia-Herzegovina. This centre, the creation of which was Ellie’s final wish, would aim to make Firefly International largely self-supporting in Brcko.

www.buyoncegivetwice.co.uk is running the auction online for Firefly as to open up the auction to a wider audience to help raise more funds for Ellie. Firefly have amazing supporters who have dedicated some incredible and unique lots in her memory. These lots have the potential to raise £1000’s for Firefly International to make Ellie’s final project come true.

The lots include some very quintessentially British experiences such as a private tour around Arundel Castel with His Grace The Duke of Norfolk as well as a personal tour with Lady Julia Harvey around her family home, of over 400 years, Syon House.

Howard J Morgan and Julian Barrow, two distinguished artists of their generation have also agreed to paint for the successful bidders.

There are also many other equally interesting lots up for auction to view the full auction online visit: http://www.buyoncegivetwice.co.uk/event/FireFlyInternational.

For more information on Firefly please visit www.fireflyinternational.org.

Champions League Armbands Raise Charity Cash

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -0000

John Terry, Cesc Fabregas and Steven Gerrard are just some of the 21 Premier League captains whose signed and framed captain’s armbands are up for auction online from November 12. This unique piece of sporting memorabilia could make the perfect Christmas gift and will raise money for two worthy causes – the Willow Foundation and the Steve Bernard Foundation.

The Willow Foundation was set up by Arsenal legend Bob Wilson and his wife, Megs, and provides special days for seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds throughout the UK. The Steve Bernard Foundation supports sporting projects in the Bournemouth area, in memory of sports mad Steve who sadly passed away in November 2005.

Unlike other sporting memorabilia, the captains armbands cannot be bought in the shops. They are unique items that have been signed by your sporting heroes and many have been worn, even showing the battle scars of the day. An armband from each of the 21 Premier League club captains are up for grabs, along with a selection of armbands from Championship captains. Each signed armband is framed alongside a striking picture of the captain in action.

The online eBay auction will run for ten days, starting on Thursday November 12, ending Sunday November 22, with proceeds to be split equally between the Willow Foundation and Steve Bernard Foundation. You can view all armbands here.

To date the Willow Foundation has provided more than 5,000 special days for people living with cancer, cystic fibrosis, motor neurone disease and muscular dystrophy, amongst other conditions. This year alone, the charity’s tenth anniversary year, the charity will provide almost 1,500 special days compared to just 17 special days in its first year.

Since its formation in February 2006 the Steve Bernard Foundation has supported more than 40 projects across 16 sports and 4 continents. These projects range from our work with a disabled football team to outreach projects in Kenya, Uganda and Thailand. In the three years since it began, the foundation has grown into an organisation which provides considerable support to sporting teams, individuals and projects.

Willow Foundation co-founder Bob Wilson said: “These armbands are a real one-off and I’m sure that any football fan would be thrilled to own one. Buying just one armband in this auction will not only be a fantastic purchase of unique sporting memorabilia but will also mean a great deal to the people who will benefit from a special day during a really tough time of their life.”

Director of the Steve Bernard Foundation, Tony Bernard said “We are delighted to be working in conjunction with the Willow Foundation on this fantastic memorabilia auction. It is extremely fitting that these truly unique items will help to enhance the lives of some very special people”

For more information on the Willow Foundation visit www.willowfoundation.org.uk or telephone 01707 259777.

Sport Heroes Donate Art To Charity

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Sir Alex Ferguson, Theo Walcott, Thierry Henry, Joe Calzaghe and Shane Warne are just some of the sporting heroes whose artwork will be on display at the Catto Gallery in Hampstead from September 25 to 27 in aid of national charity, the Willow Foundation.

The Willow Foundation, set up by Arsenal legend Bob Wilson and his wife Megs, is a national charity that provides special, morale-boosting and memorable days for seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds.

The Art of Sport is an exhibition of unique artworks created by famous sportsmen using the tricks of their trade to apply paint to canvas with exceptional results. These stunning pieces of conceptual art have been created by stars from the worlds of football, snooker, golf, cricket, motor cycling and boxing and each has been signed by its creator.

Included in the exhibition is artwork by Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie, Theirry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Jens Lehmann, Ricky Hatton and Ronnie O’Sullivan, amongst others. Originals and prints will be for sale with all proceeds to the Willow Foundation. The artwork can also be viewed online at www.willowfoundation.org.uk/artofsport

Charity co-founder, Bob Wilson, said: “The generous support and creativity of this great mix of sports personalities has produced a superb range of artwork which ultimately helps the Willow Foundation to make a difference to the lives of people living with life threatening conditions at a time when they need it most. Sports fans will love Impact Art so come along to the exhibition or take a look at the artwork online.”

Willow Foundation Ambassador and Arsenal striker, Theo Walcott, said: “I am proud to be an ambassador for The Willow Foundation. Having seen the work they do first hand in helping seriously ill young adults I was delighted to get involved with this art exhibition.”

To date the Willow Foundation has provided more than 5,000 special days for people living with cancer, cystic fibrosis, motor neurone disease and muscular dystrophy, amongst other conditions. In 2009, the charity’s 10th anniversary year, Willow will provide almost 1,500 special days compared to just 17 in its first year.

For further information visit www.willowfoundation.org.uk,

Gordon Ramsay Decorates Tea Pot For Charity

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Ever felt like sharing a cup of tea with fiery chef Gordon Ramsay? Well, this can be your closest chance… with proceeds going to charity.

Ramsay is one of a number of British celebrities who have designed and signed teapots for the Willow Foundation Piece Of Cake campaign. Teapots from Arsenal, Father Ted’s Pauline McLynn, cast members from Emmerdale, Victoria Wood, Shaun the Sheep director Golly Goleszowski and many more are available.

The Willow Foundation provides special days for 16 to 40 year olds that aim to provide young adults living with life-threatening conditions a chance to escape the pressures of their daily routine and share quality time with family and/or friends. More information about the charity can be found here.

The tea pots are on offer until July 5 and the auction can be accessed here.

The Who To Play At Charity Ball

Mon, 11 May 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Legendary rockers The Who are to perform an acoustic set at the Teenage Cancer Trust Legends & Youth Ball on May 21.

Hosted by British comedian Matt Lucas, the event will be attended by high profile supporters including the Arsenal First Team.

The evening will kick off in the Woolwich Suite at Emirates Stadium. The Legends & Youth bars will mix delicious cocktails before a menu designed by celebrity chef James Martin is served.

The event will feature live performances by one of Britain’s brightest young stars, soul sensation V V Brown, and iconic music legends, The Who – featuring Pete Townshend.

To start the evening’s fundraising, there will be the chance to test your football knowledge with sporting heads and tails, take part in an exclusive auction, and dance the night away to music brought to you by international DJ Judge Jules.

“We’re honored to be playing at the Legends And Youth Ball to celebrate Arsenal’s fantastic support of Teenage Cancer Trust throughout this season,” said The Who’s Roger Daltrey, a patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust. “I have been fighting for this cause for many years and I’m thrilled that this partnership has made and will continue to make a huge difference to young people with cancer.”

Funds raised from the Legends & Youth Ball will be split 80% to Teenage Cancer Trust and 20% to The Arsenal Charitable Trust. A limited number of tickets to the ball, priced at £1,200 per pair, are available. For more information, click here.

Win An Arsenal-Themed Car With Teenage Cancer Trust

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Arsenal players Gael Clichy, Manuel Almunia and Robin van Persie swapped footballs for paintbrushes when they met with world famous cartoonist Gerald Scarfe at Arsenal’s training ground earlier this month.

The unusual meeting took place so that players could share their ideas with Gerald and help design an Arsenal-themed Citroën C4 which will be raffled to raise money for Arsenal’s Charity of the Season, Teenage Cancer Trust.

The car, generously donated by Arsenal Football Club’s official car supplier, Citroën, will feature the design which will be personally created by Gerald with the help of the players. Gael, Robin and Manuel shared their thoughts and ideas with the cartoonist around Club culture, supporters and what they felt it meant to be part of the Club.

Welcoming Gerald to the training ground Robin van Persie, whose father is an artist, said: “This is something different for us to be involved in and my ideas were very much centered around the pace of the game and the style of football Arsenal play. My father has been inspired in his work by the supporters and I’d like to see this reflected in Gerald’s design too. Gael and Manuel had very different ideas, so I’m looking forward to seeing how he puts all the ideas together to design this unique piece of art. I hope it inspires supporters to keep up their amazing fundraising for Teenage Cancer Trust and I hope they buy lots of tickets to try to win the car!”

Artist, Gerald Scarfe said: “Although it’s a slightly unusual project, I am used to dealing with sportsmen from a distance, but the consultation today gives me the chance to understand exactly what these guys want – I need to make their thoughts work on the car to make it an interesting vehicle for the ultimate Arsenal fan.”

The specially designed Citroen C4 will be unveiled in February and will be on show at various locations including Emirates Stadium. Raffle tickets will be available to purchase in person at a number of outlets or via the partnership’s dedicated website www.beagoonerbeagiver.org. from March 2009.

Supporters will give input at a later date about what they would like to find inside the hatchback which can be won by buying a raffle ticket for just £2 from March 2009 with all monies going to the charity dedicated to improving the lives of teenagers with cancer.

Over the course of the season, through the ‘Be A Gooner. Be A Giver.’ campaign, the Gunners aim to raise £300,000 enabling Teenage Cancer Trust to increase its support for teenagers and young adults with cancer in the London area by building a unit within a brand new Day Care Centre at University College Hospital, London.

Arsenal is the first to commit to funding part of Teenage Cancer Trust’s unit in the Day Care Centre. The Club hopes that other organizations will follow their lead, helping the charity to raise a further £1.2million to complete the development of their unit.

The Education Zone will be a dedicated space where those being treated can keep up with their studies and also learn more about their cancer. The zone will include computers and laptops with wireless access, enabling them to contact their school, keep in touch with their friends and even join in with lessons via webcam.

For more information on the partnership or to donate visit: www.beagoonerbeagiver.org.

Euro Soccer Stars To Come Stateside For Charity Match

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Isra Shah

Arsenal F.C Defender Mikael Silvestre is gathering Soccer’s all-stars in New York for a weekend full of fundraising events from June 11th-14th to benefit his charity, the Schools for Hope Foundation. The culminating event is to be a match versus the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, June 14 at Giant Stadium.

Scoring points for their respective teams won’t be the only goal for these players, however. An ambitious $1,000,000 is the target amount to be raised for new school construction and educational centers around the world.

Soccer (Football) enthusiasts will be pleased to recognize many of the sport’s elite included on the roster. Joining Silvestre on the field will be Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba, Nikolas Anelka, Manuel Alumnia, Emmanuel Addebayor, Frank Lampard, and Ryan Giggs to form what is being billed as “the most unique team ever assembled.”

Silvestre, who also represents France during international play, founded the Schools for Hope Foundation with a mission to build, maintain, and staff schools in impoverished areas of the world, where there is little or no access to educational instruction on the most basic skills: reading, writing, and basic arithmetic. So far, the organization has built two new schools in Africa, and is hoping to obtain financing for additional sites in Laos, South America, and the United States.

In an interview with the New York Times, Silvestre explained why he chose education as his platform for building a better world.

“When my children first started to go to school I realized that education is the basis for a better life for poor children everywhere in the world.”

“I said to myself that I want to act, I want to be involved, with my own money. The focus is not on football at these schools, it is getting…basic skills and professional skills, so the students are able to go out and get a good job.”

Regarding the inaugural event’s location (“It’s magic when you say ‘New York’”), Silvestre adds, “I want to make sure this is an entertaining game, a good show. We want the fans to come back, maybe in two years’ time again.”

Other events planned for the weekend include an auction featuring signed memorabilia and a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden.

To view more on the global crisis of education and what the All Stars are saying about the cause, click here.

To learn more about the All Stars for Hope Weekend and to purchase tickets, visit Allstarsforhope.org.

Arsenal Dedicates Match To Teenage Cancer Patients

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Arsenal Football Club dedicated their Premier League match against Liverpool to their charity of the season, the Teenage Cancer Trust, on Sunday, December 21.

The charity received donations – equaling a day’s wages – from Arsenal players and support staff in an effort to help improve the lives of young people with cancer. They are encouraging fans to give what they can through the ‘Be a Gooner, Be a Giver’ Campaign with a goal is to raise $500,00 for the 2008/09 season.

Arsenal has also shot a short promotional film, ‘Do What I Say,’ which stars Arsenal players alongside teenagers with cancer. It was created and shot by the agency Brothers and Sisters and will appear on www.beagoonerbeagiver.org from 15 December until the dedicated match.

Arsenal Captain Cesc Fabregas said: “I visited the Teenage Cancer Trust unit back in August so I know what this means to the charity and the teenagers it helps. 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 teenagers and we hope to raise lots of money for this worthwhile cause.”

Look To The Stars News: Arsenal

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