Member Article

Yorkshire marketing specialist launches £10k fundraising campaign

A Yorkshire based marketing specialist is putting his communication talents to good use, by encouraging the region to get behind a new £10,000 fundraising initiative for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

By day Dave Learmont works as an account manager for Mirfield-based digital agency The Bigger Boat. But, by night, his attention turns to grassroots football.

It is this love of the beautiful game, and his determination to give something back to an extremely worthwhile local cause, that has prompted the scheduling of a new fixture – ‘The Match 2017’.

Dave has already gathered two squads of ordinary young men for the 20th May event, but this looks set to be a football match with a difference. That’s because the local lads won’t be alone when they take to the pitch. The line-up will also include a hat-trick of Huddersfield Town greats Junior Mendes, Andy Holdsworth and Tony Carss, each keen to do their bit for the cause.

It costs £12,000 per day to keep the two renowned yellow helicopters in the air, and the organisation relies entirely on donations to keep saving lives. So, given the unswerving efforts the rapid response air emergency service has gone to, in order to help players and referees when they’ve been in times of need, the charity was an obvious beneficiary for this fundraising extravaganza.

The game will take place at The MBI Shay Stadium in Halifax on Saturday 20th May. But now the players and Town legends are appealing for members of the public to show their support, and buy tickets. Available at £10 for adults and £5 for children, the aim is to provide a fun, low cost day out for all the family. Pre-match and half-time entertainment – as well as a couple of extra special guests – will be revealed over the coming weeks.

Commenting on the launch of the event, Dave said: “Young football fans, and the game itself, can often get a bad rep, but The Match is a testament to the passion that exists in so many young people throughout the grassroots community. We’re training hard to put on a good show, and will be taking part in a number of challenges over the coming months to win the chance to ‘sign’ the professionals onto our teams.

“I hope the local community will get behind us and show their support for a really worthwhile cause.”

All event costs will be covered by Coaches Club – Dave’s grassroots football initiative – and the players themselves. 100% of the money raised on May 20th will therefore go into the charity coffers. All tickets must be purchased before the game, via justgiving.com/teams/coaches-club. Further information and updates about The Match can be found at The Coaches Club website, and on Twitter, @cccmatch.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Katie Mallinson .