Our Dons Local Action Group volunteers are continuing to work tirelessly in the community – and their dedication to the cause will be showcased with the Big Sleep Out 2 on Saturday 3 December.
With plenty going on – the lead-up to Christmas is an important time for community work – a round-up from DLAG is published below.
Big Sleep Out 2 – We need you
We challenge you to give up the comfort of your bed for one night and raise vital funds for your community.
On 3 December at Plough Lane the Dons Local Action Group (DLAG) will be holding its second Big Sleep Out.
It is one of two main fundraisers each year and is a vital source of funds, as the group faces a sharp increase in demand for support in South West London.
Last year, the event was held on a bitterly cold evening and raised £44,000. This year we are aiming to attract 150 participants and at least £50,000 in funds raised. A total of 20 per cent of those funds will go to three partner charities in our boroughs, as follows:
- Faith in Action, which provides a drop in facility for the homeless in Merton.
- Kingston Voices of Hope. A charity that supplies the “Brite Box”, which is food and recipes to those in food poverty.
- Western Lodge as it continues to provide accommodation and support for up to 10 homeless people a time in Wandsworth.
Volunteers will be joined by fans, players, ex-players, club staff, partners, the Mayor and ex-Mayor of Merton, and many more. It promises to be an amazing evening and we’d love your involvement.
Could you join us on the night, sleeping out and raising funds? If not, we’d really appreciate your sponsorship.
In 2021, DLAG collected and distributed over 550 metric tonnes of food and distributed it directly to families or to partners such as food banks. In addition, we restored and distributed 1300 laptops and hundreds of items of furniture. But we have more to do, and we want to say ‘yes’ to more people who need us in these increasingly desperate times for so many.
Please do what you can. We can and regularly do make an actual difference to the lives of those we support. But we need you.
For a glimpse at last year’s event, take a look at the video below.
To get involved, please visit this website .
THANK YOU.
No volunteers = no food, furniture or laptops delivered to those in need
The Dons Local Action Group has, so far, welcomed over 2000 volunteers. It is one of the biggest volunteer forces in the UK and we are really proud of the way we have pulled together to achieve such remarkable results.
But we really do need more help.
We currently fill around 40 per cent of our supermarket shifts. And volunteers average around 10 hours per month.
We are aiming to create an additional 1000 volunteer hours a month, so that we can deliver more support than we currently do. We really don’t like saying “no” to those who need help, but sometimes we must. If we could get 100 more people to offer 10 hours a month of volunteering that would make such a difference.
Whilst our biggest need is for people to collect food at our stall collection points, there are many other ways you could get involved. We have more work to do in marketing, administration, fundraising, onboarding, volunteer management, event planning and management, partner liaison, and much more.
Volunteering with DLAG is fun and rewarding. We have an amazing community of volunteers and the positive impact on mental health can be really tangible.
To hear what it is like volunteering with us, please watch the video below.
To volunteer with DLAG as a new or returning volunteer, please e-mail volunteer@donslocalaction.org .
Sports Business Awards
We are absolutely delighted to be shortlisted for the Best Sports Community Scheme in the UK. Remarkably, the other clubs represented on the shortlist are Manchester City, Liverpool, Leicester and Southampton. The winners will be announced on the 18 November. Keep those fingers crossed that we can add this award to the cabinet at Plough Lane in recognition of all of our brilliant volunteers, supporters and partners.
A Christmas Dinner in support of DLAG
We’ve got a Christmas event at the stadium that you simply won’t want to miss – and you’ll also be supporting two vital causes by attending.
It’s an honour for us to host the Mayor of Merton’s Charity Christmas Dinner at our fantastic stadium with funds raised donated to DLAG and the Jimmy Asher Foundation.
With last year's dinner cancelled due to an upsurge in Covid-19 cases, we can’t wait to stage an event that we hope will become a real annual celebration for the Club with staff, fans and players joining us.
There’s the option to book a table of 10 for the dinner at £500 or to make an individual booking for £55, but there’s already been plenty of interest, so make sure you act fast to avoid disappointment!
Book now via our Seat Unique website .
The event on Thursday 1 December includes a drinks reception, a three-course Christmas dinner, and live entertainment.
Join us on 1 December for this special event, which is a 6.30 pm meet for a 7.00 pm start. For any queries, please contact our commercial team by e-mailing hospitality@afcwimbledon.ltd.uk .