A season-long partnership between Sheffield United FC and Barnsley FC has raised a five-figure sum for Weston Park Cancer Charity.
The Together at Every Step partnership has seen the two South Yorkshire football clubs put rivalries to one side to join forces in support of Weston Park during the 2021/22 season. The second game of the partnership at Bramall Lane recently helped bring the total raised by the partnership to a remarkable £13,850.
Fundraising activity has taken place before, during and after both games between Barnsley and Sheffield United this season, including bucket collections, raffles and auctions.
Vital awareness also raised by both teams warming up in purple Weston Park Cancer Charity t-shirts before both fixtures and through prominent brand presence in and around both Oakwell and Bramall Lane before each game.
Both sets of fans gave extremely generously to Weston Park, with a four-figure donation also made by long-standing Weston Park supporter, BAPP Industrial Supplies.
Barnsley fan and long-standing Weston Park supporter, Carl Mellor, and his team of fundraising heroes also walked between the two stadiums before each game respectively. They were joined by members of the Barnsley FC backroom team for the second fixture, including Marketing, Commercial and Business Director, Andrew Clark.
Darren Hayes, Head of Fundraising at Weston Park Cancer Charity, said: “The support of both clubs, their fans and club sponsors has been absolutely unbelievable this season.
“Barnsley and Sheffield United have both supported Weston Park for decades, donating tens of thousands of pounds to us in that time and generating a huge amount of awareness for our cause.
“This partnership has been a first for us as a charity and we’re so pleased with how it’s gone. To raise almost £14,000 across the two fixtures is amazing; it shows what can be achieved when we work together to support such a brilliant cause.
“The awareness and funds raised, the messages and comments of support, and the general buzz created by the partnership will all help us continue our commitment to care in every sense for people affected by cancer. Thank you to everybody involved in making this partnership such a success.”
Andrew Clark, Marketing, Commercial and Business Director at Barnsley FC, said: “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed partnering with Sheffield United this season to support Weston Park.
“It’s the first partnership of its kind in our region and I’m delighted to see how much was raised for such a brilliant cause.
“It’s our pleasure to have joined with Sheffield United to get behind Weston Park, particularly given that both the hospital and the charity support thousands of people in and around the Barnsley area each year.
“Huge thank you to the Reds fans for getting behind the wonderful partnership by donating thousands to a brilliant cause.”
Fans can still get involved with the Together at Every Step partnership online – for more information visit https://together-at-every-step-partnership.raisely.com/.
For more information about Weston Park Cancer Charity’s commitment to providing support, enhancing treatment and enabling research, visit www.westonpark.org.uk or call 0114 553 3330.
