The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK is encouraging men, women and children across the UK to wear their football shirts loudly and proudly on Friday 27 April to help fund life-saving research into bowel cancer.
Football Shirt Friday is now in its sixth year and asks people to wear their football shirt to work, school or in their local community, and donate £5 to the Bobby Moore Fund.
Taking place during bowel cancer awareness month, the fundraising initiative draws inspiration from one of the most iconic images of Bobby, taken at the 1970 World Cup, where he swapped football shirts with Brazilian legend Pelé. Shown as a sign of respect between the two opposing players, this is a gesture that has been recreated worldwide by footballers ever since.
Many well-known faces from the sport and entertainment industry, including David Seaman, Alan Shearer, Ledley King, Robbie Savage and comedian Tom Davis, are among those honouring Bobby’s memory, 25 years after he passed away from bowel cancer.
Former England goalkeeper David Seaman, said: “Football Shirt Friday is a campaign that’s close to my heart and is so important in raising vital funds to beat bowel cancer sooner. Bobby was a true hero and a real inspiration to many, so whatever you’re doing on Friday 27 April, make sure you’re wearing your football shirt.”
Football pundit and former England striker Alan Shearer CBE, said: “Bobby was an incredible individual who was taken too soon. His memory serves as a reminder of why it’s so important to get involved in fundraising initiatives like Football Shirt Friday. So get your shirt on and donate £5 to life-saving research.”
Bobby’s widow Stephanie Moore MBE, set up the Bobby Moore Fund in partnership with Cancer Research UK in 1993 to raise money for research into the disease. The Fund aims to reach £25m this year to mark the anniversary of Bobby’s death.
Stephanie Moore, said: “We want to see the whole nation supporting Football Shirt Friday, by proudly wearing their team’s colours and joining together in the fight against bowel cancer.
It’s 25 years since Bobby died and in that time mortality rates for bowel cancer have fallen by more than 30 per cent, but sadly it still kills 44 people in the UK every day. By uniting with friends and colleagues to fundraise for the Bobby Moore Fund, we can make even more progress and bring forward the day when bowel cancer is cured.”
The Bobby Moore Fund’s partnership with Classic Football Shirts, the home of classic original football shirts from all over the world, returns this year. Classic Football Shirts will be offering supporters 20% off all shirts online in the week prior to Football Shirt Friday (Friday 20-27 April) with the discount code footballshirtfriday*
Classic Football Shirts will also be holding an exhibition called ‘The Fabric of Football’, honouring the top 500 classic football shirts at Newspeak House, in Shoreditch, London from the 26–29 April. All entry fees on Friday 27 April will be donated to the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK. For more information, visit classicfootballshirts.co.uk/fabricoffootball
No matter your football shirt colours, get your team together on Friday 27 April and make Bobby proud. To get involved, search Football Shirt Friday.
To donate £5 to the Bobby Moore fund text BOBBY to 70200. Texts cost £5 plus 1 standard rate text. Cancer Research UK receives £4.89.**
Join the conversation on Twitter using @BobbyMooreFund #FootballShirtFriday or on the Facebook page at OfficialBobbyMooreFund.
* Enter the promotional code footballshirtfriday at the checkout for 20% off all football shirts, including clearance items, at www.classicfootballshirts.co.uk. This promotion is only valid from Friday 20– 27 April 2018.
** Full Ts&Cs at www.cruk.org/text.
For more information on the Bobby Moore Fund and Football Shirt Friday, visit footballshirtfriday.org