Blades help spread Christmas cheer Sheffield United players, staff and sponsors helped to spread festive cheer during the Club’s annual Christmas community visit day. Christmas came early for some of the Blades younger fans as Club captain Michael Doyle, Bob Harris, Ben Davies, Craig Alcock, Terry Kennedy, Neill Collins and Club legend Tony Currie visited Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice in North Anston. They were on hand to give out Christmas gifts and with them came the famous FA Cup trophy which the Football Association allowed the Club to borrow for the day. Florent Cuvelier, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Ryan Flynn, Stephen McGinn, Chris O’Grady, George Long, Iain Turner, Stefan Scougall, Chris Porter, George Willis and Harrison McGahey paid a visit to Hallam FM to donate gifts for the radio station’s ‘Mission Christmas’ event, an initiative which aims to brighten Christmas for disadvantaged children with the donation of gifts from the public. Also on hand was striker Marc McNulty, who scored the winner which saw the Blades defeat Southampton and progress to the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup just hours before. Blades supporters had donated in excess of 500 gifts before the Southampton game and these were handed over along with Blades merchandise, before the players helped out in the charity’s warehouse. Norfolk Park Special Needs School also received a visit as Michael Higdon, Jay McEveley, Kieran Wallace, Che Adams, Louis Reed, as well as a number of Blades under 21 and Redtooth Academy players, handed out festive gifts to pupils and spent time playing and chatting with the youngsters in the school’s main hall. A number of Club sponsors also took time out to provide a helping hand, including John Holland Sales Ltd, DBL Logistics, Westfield Health, Blue Portal, Academy sponsor Redtooth, Winchester Car Sales, as well as adidas, Universal Office Products and City Taxis. They provided funding, assisted with packing and a number of them joined the players on the visits during the day. Michael Doyle said: “As players, we are honoured to come on the community visits on behalf of the Club. We’re privileged as footballers to be recognised and it’s so nice to be able to give something back and put a smile on children’s faces, especially at Christmas time. “Bluebell Wood is a remarkable place which puts things into perspective in a massive way. We are delighted to show our support for such an amazing cause.” Claire Rintoul, Chief Executive of Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, said: “We care for and support children with a shortened life expectancy and their families, both in their own homes and at our hospice. Helping to make memories like this and surrounding people with love and laughter is at the very heart of what we do. “Everyone was really pleased to meet the players and to see the FA Cup and we’d like to thank Sheffield United for taking the time out to visit us.” Louise Davies, Charity Manager at Hallam FM, said: “We’d like to say a massive thank you to Sheffield United and their brilliant fans for the donation of the Mission Christmas gifts. “Together we have helped thousands of local children. We couldn’t have done it with their help.” Blades Operations Director Dave McCarthy commented: “We’re delighted to have sent out more than 40 players to four fantastic local organisations and we hope the visits have gone some way to brightening their Christmas. “We’d also like to thank our fans and sponsors for donating so many gifts, which the players were only too pleased to hand over on their behalf.’’
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 16:57:35 +0000
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