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Football Aid
Football Aid was created as a unique way of raising money for charity and voluntary organisations. Through our parent charity, Field of Dreams’ multi-beneficiary grant award scheme, the funds raised from the Football Aid events are distributed to diabetes research, education and management projects plus charities nominated for funding by the Clubs that take part
The concept of Football Aid is simple – to allow fans, who have only been able to dream about it, the chance to experience the thrill of match day: to pull on their favourite shirt, walk down the tunnel to the sound of the crowd and play an adrenaline fuelled 90 minutes on the hallowed turf of the Club they support. Since Football Aid’s inception, over 380 games involving over 10,000 players have taken place on a UK Club, European and National level and our vision is to continue to deliver exciting and groundbreaking fundraising events that allow supporters to ‘Live the Dream’.
Celtic’s involvement
Celtic were the first Club to sign up with Football Aid, and with the Scottish giant’s support, other Clubs were quick to follow suit. As such, Football Aid’s first season was a resounding success with 47 games played in 45 Clubs around the UK involving over 1200 players, 263 goals and 1 red card! Prominent Diabetes campaigner and Scotland legend Danny McGrain is the Club’s Ambassador as well as Football Aid’s Vice Patron. And over the years, with the support of Danny Football Aid have been able to call on a who’s who of Celtic Legends, with the likes of Paul Lambert, Neil Lennon, Tom Boyd, Andy Walker,Darren Jackson and Tosh McKinlay joining the normally ever present Danny on the pitch at Celtic Park, while the likes of Billy McNeill, Bertie Auld and Bobby Lennox have relished their roles as Managers.
Danny McGrain became Football Aid’s Vice Patron in 2004 and Celtic’s Ambassador in 2006. He explains, “Football Aid brings such joy to fans who have followed their teams over the years, and who can’t quite believe that they are sitting in the same dressing rooms and playing on the same pitch as their heroes. The fact that a proportion of proceeds from these games go to diabetes research is particularly important to me, as one who has learned to live with the condition over many years.”
Link to the Celtic Page on Football Aid’s website
