Eltham College are proud to announce that Senior students are organising a 24 hour five-a-side football match running from 18-19 November in one of the school’s first events in a series designed to raise £24,000 for charitable causes by 2024.
They will be fundraising for three different charities:
The Chris Aked Foundation, British Heart Foundation and Harambee for Kenya.
The Sixth Form students came up with the novel fundraising idea to coincide with the start of the football World Cup Championships in Qatar. Their marathon football session will take place on school grounds this Friday 18th to Saturday19th November, at the start of first round World Cup group matches.
Around 100 pupils in mixed teams, aged between 7 and 18, will play five-a-side football continuously between 2pm on Friday to 2pm on Saturday. Younger pupils will only play during daylight hours, with 20 Sixth Formers taking on the more gruelling night-time shifts.
Supporters are being encouraged to sponsor the event in aid of the three selected charities: the Chris Aked Foundation, the British Heart Foundation and Harambee for Kenya.
Louis Lardner, aged 17, is co-head of this year’s charity team: “We thought this was a great way to combine fundraising with our love for the game. It will literally kickstart the Eltham College ’24’ fundraising campaign,” he said.
“We are extremely grateful to the teachers and support staff who have willingly given up their time to help us put on this event. It would not have been possible without them agreeing to supervise and referee the matches,” he added.
“Pupils throughout the junior and senior school were given the opportunity to nominate a charity so that we can actively help causes that we have a personal connection to,” said Theo Austin, aged 17.
James Willatt, Deputy Head at Eltham College, commented: “We are immensely proud of our students organising this event and we are delighted to support their initiative and tenacity to raise much-needed funds for three fantastic charitable causes. We urge parents and local people to join them in supporting these great charities.”
Pupils taking part in the challenge will be wearing specially-designed Nike football shirts bearing the number 24 and one of the three chosen charities.
Joshua Griffiths, 18, designed the shirts and was responsible for liaising with a manufacturer to have them specially made. They are available to purchase through the school for £24 – as another way to boost the monies raised.
Dominos Pizza in Mottingham is generously supporting the event by providing to help fuel the footballers. The students have also organised a raffle for friends and families supporting the event.
All donations are welcome and can be made via GoFundMe page here.
