Supporters, Players and Staff of Newport County AFC have come together just months after the Newport County Supporters Trust completed their takeover of the Football Club, in order to raise funds to support the Children’s Wards at the local Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport.
The Club’s fans managed to raise a staggering £225,000 in voluntary donations to complete the takeover in October 2015, with the Club now in the hands of the Supporters they’ve come together once more to ensure this year’s annual hospital visit will be one to remember.
When Club Officials met with the Royal Gwent Hospital to discuss the annual visit by the First Team, it became clear that the Children’s Wards were in desperate need of TVs and DVDs for children and teenagers to pass the hours whilst in their care. Upon hearing this, club staff began to donate funds to purchase three TVs for the Children’s wards and upon news filtering out to the Players, Board of Directors, Supporters Groups and Commercial companies just over a week later the Club will donate sixteen TV/DVD combis at Thursday's annual hospital visit.
Norman Parselle (Community Development Officer), who was instrumental in the organisation of the visit, commented on the news “having spoken with the staff on the ward, it’s clear to see that everyone is trying to make the limited budget they have stretch as far as possible. We discussed with the nurses what they would like from us and they informed us that they were desperate for televisions to entertain the children, it has been great that we have been able to deliver sixteen television sets to them today, when we initially aimed for three.”
“To raise the amount of money we did in such a small amount of time just shows the great community spirit we have at Newport County AFC.”
The Club has been keen to ensure it keeps in touch with the local Community following the takeover and that’s something that is apparent to First Team Captain Mark Byrne “it has been great that we have been able to put a smile on the faces of the children and staff at this time of the year.”
He added, “Nobody likes to be in hospital at Christmas, so to deliver these gifts to the children is a fantastic thing for the players to be involved with this afternoon”.
“It’s fantastic that everyone has been able to come together again to help secure the donations for the TVs and as a Club we’re pleased to be able to give something back to the Community, it shows the great community spirit that we have here”.
Alongside the donation of the sixteen TV/DVD Combis, the players will also present £500s worth of toys and selection boxes kindly donated by ASDAs Newport Pillgwenlly store in partnership with Ivor Morgan (Chairperson) of the Free Masons at Newport Masonic Hall.
With the Community a priority of Newport County AFC, Chief Executive Jason Turner commented “it’s great to see the Community spirt within the Club, the Supporters have only just pulled donations together in order to take over the Football Club. But they have once again gone above and beyond in order to support the local Children’s wards, so many organisations have come together to make this possible.”
Donations for the TVs came from a vast array of the Newport County family, including First Team Players/Staff, Board of Directors, Office Staff, County in the Community, Supporters Trust, Supporters Club, Programme Shop, Smile Council, 100 Club, Subscription Draw, Disabled Supporters Association, Business Club and the Former Players Association.
Chief Executive Jason Turner said “the various supporters groups we have at the Football Club put in so much work to assist the Club both on and off the field, they’re a credit to not only the Club but the local Community and the City of Newport.”
Alongside this the club received further support from companies connected to the Club, with donations also received from JW Bowkett (Electrical Installations), Melin Homes, LSC Education, ASDA Pillgwenlly, Free Masons at Newport Masonic Hall and Currys PC World, Newport.
Chief Executive Jason Turner continued “the Community and the support from local companies make Newport County AFC the Club it is today and we will continue to ensure that the local Community is at the centre of everything we do here. We have managed to raise an incredible amount in such a short space of time and for this we must thank everybody who has donated to the cause at this time of year.”