South Yorkshire Echo raised £420 for the “Blow the Whistle” campaign at Hillsborough Stadium this Saturday.
Dressed in purple, the team collected funds for the YWCA’s Peile House Fundraiser, and talked to people who came there to watch the match between Sheffield Wednesday and Shrewsbury Town. Many were surprised to hear about how much domestic violence increases when football games start in the UK.
The team distributed more than 100 flyers educating people on the campaign and the available resources. The flyer also included important information such as Clare’s Law which enables the police to disclose information to a victim or potential victim of domestic abuse about their partner’s or ex-partner’s previous abusive or violent offending’s.
People who contributed to the fundraiser could also participate in a “Keepie-Uppie Challenge,” where they were challenged to try as many Keepie-Uppies as they could before the football touched the ground. The winner would get a £50 voucher from the Freshman Vintage Store in Sheffield. The winner was Zack Wild, with a score of 160.
He said: “It was worth the 200-mile trip to see the 3 points and win the voucher; all the best to the charity and the great work they do.”
The fundraiser aims to raise £8,000 to build a new wellness centre for residents of Peile House in Sheffield.
Having launched two weeks ago, the fundraiser by South Yorkshire Echo had already surpassed £200 and now raising the extra £420 at the match.
Maddy Burgess, part of the South Yorkshire Echo team said: “We had a really successful day fundraising at Hillsborough, with everyone donating generously. The Keepie-Uppie Challenge was really popular and a great way for people to have fun and make a difference.”
Peile House offers a refuge for women aged 16-24 facing homelessness. They can stay for up to 12 months and are given guidance through a range of therapeutic and practical programmes.
The proposed well-being centre will consist of a space for the residents to do yoga or let their frustrations out in a rage room.
Campaign lead Stanley Willey said: ”The fans were great, particularly the home fans. I think the whole community really understood what our campaign is trying to achieve and got behind it with generous donations to the cause.”
You can support YWCA and donate to the fundraiser here.
