The advert, shot by advertising agency, Brothers and Sisters with a voiceover provided by British comedian, Matt Lucas was released on December 15 to preview the dedicated match-day and aims to encourage supporters to join in and donate through www.beagoonerbeagiver.org where the video will be shown.
Arsenal captain, Cesc Fabregas who stars in the advert and who will lead his players in donating a day’s wages 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.”
“From the launch of the partnership back in August, we’ve been heartened to see the response of Arsenal players, supporters and staff to Arsenal’s Charity of the Season," said Simon Davies, CEO of Teenage Cancer Trust.
"The dedicated match-day is another example of this wonderful partnership in action and the generosity shown by all at the Club. We hope that the match-day puts us well on the way to reaching our target.”
Over the course of the season, through the ‘Be A Gooner. Be A Giver.’ campaign, the Gunners will 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 organisations will follow their lead, helping the charity to raise a further £1.2million to complete the development of their unit.
“The team and I have met some patients from Teenage Cancer Trust units on several occasions throughout the partnership so far and we’re all struck by the strength and courage they show in fighting this disease," said Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger.
"We understand the importance of these units which give young people a sense of normality in their lives whilst being treated for cancer so we want to ensure we do the best we can for them throughout the whole partnership.
"The dedicated match-day highlights the work of the charity and gives players, staff and supporters the chance to do something, however small, to help reach this target.”
The money raised by Arsenal through fundraising initiatives such as the dedicated match-day will fund an Education Zone for teenage and young adult cancer patients in Teenage Cancer Trust’s unit in the Centre which is due to open in 2012. The Centre will be the first of its kind in Europe and Teenage Cancer Trust’s unit will help thousands of teenagers and young people
