9:15 am, March 15, 2021
Alan Day Group has united with ex-England and current Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster in a bid to raise £5,000 in aid of domestic abuse victims.
The #ChooseToChallenge initiative, which wants to see action on issues affecting women, is also being backed by Wales and Watford FC Women’s striker Helen Ward and Watford Women’s Centre.
Marc Skuce, new business development manager at Alan Day Group, said: “As sponsors of Watford FC and Watford FC Women’s, we are delighted to bring this partnership together in support of Watford Women’s Centre.
‘We need 500 generous football fans to donate a minimum of £10 to reach our fundraising target.’
In exchange, people will be in with a chance of winning prizes including signed shirts from Ward and Foster, two tickets to a Watford FC 2021-22 season match and two hospitality tickets for the Watford FC 2021-22 season.
Foster said: ‘I am asking all Watford FC and England football fans to join me to challenge domestic abuse by donating to this worthy cause.
‘Domestic abuse is totally unacceptable and I urge you all to donate and challenge this crime and make a difference.’
According to the charity Refuge, nearly one in three women aged 16 to 59 will suffer domestic abuse in her lifetime and two women a week are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales alone.
Watford Women’s Centre said the lockdowns had led to a 50 per cent increase in demand for its mental health counselling services.
Ward said: ‘Every £100 raised will help Watford Women’s Centre provide one woman with urgent domestic abuse counselling to enable her to achieve personal freedom and take back control of her life.
‘The Covid lockdowns have caused a crisis in domestic abuse against women, and I know the football community will join me in challenging this by digging deep and donating to Watford Women’s Centre.’
Fiona Miller, chief executive of Watford Women’s Centre, said: ‘We are thrilled that Ben, Helen and the Alan Day Group have come forward to support our #ChooseToChallenge fundraising campaign, helping us to deliver more counselling services in response to Covid-19 lockdowns.’
To donate and be in with a chance of winning one of the prizes, go to justgiving.com/campaign/ChooseToChallengeDomesticAbuse.
Pictured are reserve Watford goalkeepers Adam Parkes, left, and Daniel Bachmann, centre, with Ben Foster
