Walking Football Scotland and Prostate Cancer UK has identified August as walking football month.
Earlier today, generous members of Edinburgh City’s strolling ‘ballers got the charity initiative off to a flyer when they held a wee whip round prior to their weekly session.
The group’s normal venue, the World of Football, Corn Exchange also generously waived the normal hire fee so a tremendous total of £450 was raised on the day.
Picture above are the 36 lads and one girl who gave so generously today before enjoying several great games including the amazing Bert Cunningham who celebrates his 90th birthday next month.
Walking Football Scotland has chosen Prostate Cancer UK as their official charity partner and aims to educate and help raise awareness of the disease amongst its 1,800 members through regular communications, such as newsletters, awareness talks from charity volunteers and featuring the iconic Man of Men logo on event banners.
Members are also being encouraged to organise their own fundraising activities with money going towards vital research into the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men with over 3,000 diagnosed in Scotland each year.
Men over 50, black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer all face a higher than average risk of the disease and treatment often causes devastating, long term side-effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction
WFS Chair, Gary McLaughlin recently met with Patrons former Scotland Manager Craig Brown and Scotland International Rose Reilly, who signed up to support the partnership with Prostate Cancer UK.
Craig said “With 1 in 8 men being diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives, I am fully supportive of this partnership to raise awareness and funds for Prostate Cancer UK. I’d encourage all clubs to host their own friendly walking festival, or other fundraising event, to raise money for research and to rid ourselves of prostate cancer.”
Rose added “Prostate cancer doesn’t only affect the man diagnosed, it affects the whole family. I echo Craig and hope that many clubs will get behind the partnership and raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
