Support a great cause on Saturday at Cliftonhill
Thursday, 31st Mar 2016The DAFC Board would like to make our supporters aware of a very special bucket collection on Saturday, in advance of our match at Cliftonhill.
Pars fans are well used to bucket collections, and have dug deeper than most supporters over the last few years. That support though started to pay dividends last Saturday, when our club took its first step back up the ladder of Scottish Football.
The DAFC Board would like to make our supporters aware of a very special bucket collection on Saturday, in advance of our match at Cliftonhill. At half-time during Saturday’s game against Albion Rovers, buckets will be going around both the home and away sections of the ground, raising funds for the Beatson Cancer Charity.
The charity is one that is hugely close to the hearts of all at Albion Rovers, as Club Secretary Paul Reilly’s wife, Elspeth sadly lost her battle with lung cancer last year, despite never smoking in her life. Elspeth was a mother to Andrew (14) and Eilidh (10). She passed away just over 2 months after her initial diagnosis.
She was supported in this battle by the Beatson Cancer Charity who rely a great deal on public support and donations to both help and treat people with cancer as well as striving to find a cure to this insidious disease which will, to some extent, touch us all in our lives – if it has not already.
Like Paul, Elspeth was an Albion Rovers diehard and used to run one of the café’s at Cliftonhill.
Our club would like to point out that we were approached by Albion Rovers a number of weeks ago to ask for our consent to the collection, and it was well in advance of the match being designated all ticket, so it is not opportunism but a means to support a fantastic charity in memory of the loss of a loyal club servant and beloved wife and mother. The people behind the scenes at Albion Rovers are one of the nicest and hard working group there are in League One, and Paul himself took time to praise the Pars support following our visit to Cliftonhill in November, so the DAFC Board are happy to give our blessing in support of this worthy cause.
Paul initially wanted to raise £3,000, but has now set a target of £5,000. At Saturday’s game he will get all of his hair shaved off, at half time, as part of the fund raising!!
When asked what inspired him to participate in the charity shave, Paul commented “I told her, Elspeth, when she underwent chemo that when she lost her hair I would shave mine off too so we could match and so I could support her. It never happened because she contracted an infection after her second dose and sadly died before she lost her hair. I do it in her memory.”
Ahead of the collection, Paul urged all supporters to show their support for a charity that has done so much for his family and thousands across the UK who have had to deal with cancer.
He said: “Next time you walk down the street have a look around you, look at the people around you – you have just looked at someone, more than one, who either has had, has or will have cancer.
“Look in the mirror and cancer will stare back at many of you. It’s a dreadful and indiscriminate disease that affects us all in one way or another. It takes too many lives and ruins too many as well. The thing is it can be beaten – there will, one day, be a cure but that will take money and effort. The Beatson not only cares for those struck with this terrible disease but provides an atmosphere where people can be treated and retain their dignity.
Paul added: “Their work is immeasurably important and must be supported. It gave me and my family hope when there appeared to be none and, while we lost my beloved Elspeth, there is increasing hope for others. It is our duty to help them achieve their aim of ridding the world of cancer, one bit at a time.”
Whilst collection buckets will be going around the stadium on Saturday afternoon, anyone can choose to donate using Paul’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Reilly2
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