We are delighted to announce that we will support St George’s Hospital by hosting a special charity football match and gala dinner.
The event on 14 May at the Cherry Red Records Stadium is hugely significant as it will launch the Time for a Change appeal for St George's.
With St George’s in Tooting being our local hospital, a lot of our supporters will have benefited from the tireless work of its staff, so it’s a real source of pride that we are hosting this event.
As part of it, Dons legends will be aiming to roll back the years on the Plough Lane pitch with Jon Main and Dannie Bulman among our former heroes already confirmed.
The match will kick-off at 2.00 pm on 14 May with the following ticket prices: Adults £10, Under-18s £4. To book your seat, visit our online ticket page .
The event will help raise the £5 million needed to create a better St George’s Hospital for children and staff.
The summary below from St George’s Hospital emphasises the importance of this appeal.
When a child has to go to hospital, they are entering what can be one of the most traumatic times of their lives. Not only that, but this can also be one of the scariest experiences that any parent must go through too.
No parent plans for their child to go hospital, but almost every parent who has experienced the renowned, world class care at St George’s is full of praise and gratitude to the staff for being so wonderful. St George’s is home to one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country, with paediatric services rated “outstanding” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Equally important, but all too often overlooked and taken for granted, is the hospital environment. Dull, soul-less and overcrowded wards can really impact our precious young people’s recovery rates and affect their emotional and mental wellbeing. Their beloved parents and other family members, struggling to make sense of what’s happening to them and why, are often sitting in waiting rooms that lack a sense of comfort, hope and reassurance.
“It’s a horrible, tired building, but it is absolutely the best place for clinical care. If something goes wrong, there is nowhere else I would rather my children be,” said Strahan Wilson, parent to Izzy, who spent nine weeks on one of the St George’s children’s wards.
The staff, so often deemed as our heroes over the past few years, have carried on regardless, because their commitment is to put the patient first. But it’s vital that they too have space to rest and recover.
“Some parents can’t believe it when they get to the wards. We’re having to work twice as hard to make people feel comfortable,” said Tania Haughton, Matron, Inpatient Paediatrics.
Sarah McCullough, Director of Fundraising at the charity, said: “We want to help reduce the stress of a hospital stay for our patients and their families through improved children’s wards. We also want to make sure that that we can treat every child who needs us by helping to increase the space available on our Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The care at St George’s is incredible, but our facilities are not, and it is time for that to change.
“Our thanks to AFC Wimbledon and the supporters for making us their chosen charity and for agreeing to help us with our first major appeal. Now, it’s time for you to sign up, whether it’s to donate, to fundraise or to get others involved. We can’t do this without your help. The funds raised could help overhaul all three of our children’s wards so that every patient and carer who steps through our doors feels welcomed, safe and inspired in a centre of paediatric excellence. We will be contributing towards a bigger PICU and we hope to fund dedicated family spaces so that we can give parents and loved ones the very best chance of staying well and rested.”
Sarah added: “We’re also delighted to announce that LCM Partners have generously signed up to be our headline sponsor for the launch activity of our appeal, namely the charity match and the gala dinner on 14 May and Banham have generously signed up to be an evening sponsor for the dinner. Thanks to our corporate partners for their generous sponsorship. We hope all the fans will join us to mark this important occasion.”
All of this is why AFC Wimbledon is delighted and proud to partner with St George’s Hospital Charity to launch the Time for a Change appeal on 14 May.
Visit www.timeforachange.org.uk to find out how you can get involved and become an appeal supporter.
Keep an eye on our official website soon for more announcements on Dons legends playing in the game.