Charity Collection at St Mary's

[Weston Saint]

An official charity collection, in aid of the Smile4Rich Appeal, will be held outside St Mary's prior to the Charlton match. Smile4Rich was set up in memory of 15-year old Saints fan, Richard Bowler, who died after suffering a brain haemorrhage while training with his youth football team in July 2002. Since then, the charity has raised in excess of £400,000 to fund projects at Southampton's Wessex Neurological Centre, including a dedicated Neuro Intensive Care Ambulance and a specially equipped suite which is used to assess children with severe epilepsy for life-changing surgery.

 

The Wessex Neurological Centre treats around 4,500 patients a year and is one of the most well-respected specialist neurological centres in the country. Following an horrific motorcycle accident in August 2007, Saints' community coach Ricky Fernandez was treated at the centre for numerous life-threatening injuries. Thanks to the skill and dedication of the team at the Wessex, Ricky has made a quite remarkable recovery and has recently returned, part-time, to his work at the club.

 

Donations received from fans will go toward the latest Smile4Rich Appeal, which aims to raise £200,000 to equip one ot the Centre's operating theatres with a new, state-of-the-art operating microscope fitted with fluorescence imaging technology. This equipment will provide surgeons with real-time images of blood-flow in the brain during neurovascular surgery, for such conditions as brain haemorrhages and aneurysms, minimising the need for repeat surgery, reducing the chance of post-operative complications, and hence speeding the recovery of patients.

 

Every penny will help us toward our target, and your support will be greatly appreciated.

 

http://www.smile4rich.co.uk/

 

http://www.smile4rich.co.uk/fundraising/event-detail-47

 

Modorators, I have sent a personal email to Steve Grant asking for this to be a sticky until the Charlton game. Until he makes the decision I would appreciate you not moving or deleting. You can of course make it a sticky yourselves. It is very much Saints related.

Edited 4 April, 2010 by Weston Saint

[saintwiz]

i will put £1 in.

If everyone else doesthe same should be a good fundraiser.

[Saint Lindford]

I will be collecting at the Chapel End before the game so please give generously... Ta muchly.

[Weston Saint]

Frank's Cousin and myself will also be collecting on the day.

[NSS]

Thanks Weston, and also to Lindford & Frank's Cousin for their assistance.

 

And thanks in advance to all who donate on the day. Every penny really does make a difference.

 

For more about Ricky's amazing recovery, please see http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/734182/50-medics-3-brain-ops-and-155k-of-platinum-save-Ricky-Fernandez.html

 

Keep Smiling!

[Weston Saint]

Thanks also to Steve Grant for allowing up to use this forum as a communication point.

[NSS]

Thanks also to Steve Grant for allowing up to use this forum as a communication point.

 

Seconded. Many thanks Steve.

[Redondo Saint]

What a great charity and wonderful way to remember Rich.

[SaintBobby]

Thanks for posting this.

 

I'm usually a little sceptical about people with charity tins - however well meaning.

 

But your moving post explains everything. And I guess is very hard to get across in a few words to a throng of people just before a game.

 

I will look out for the collectors pre-Charlton and will donate as generously as I can.

 

I wish you every success.

[Frank's cousin]

Frank's Cousin and myself will also be collecting on the day.

 

Spot the fat bloke, that will be me ;-)

[Ziggy Stardust]

Spot the laydee - I'll be collecting too. Like the poster above, I often look the other way when someone shakes a tin at me but since SFC have been kind enough to allow Smile4Rich to be there plus it is something that benefits the local community (though hopefully a service that none of us will ever have to use), I thought the least I could do was give a bit of my time. Hopefully you guys can give a bit of your loose change. I want my bucket filled!

[Iowsaintsfan]

Good luck i hope you manage to raise a good sum

[LeBenali]

Will make sure I bring some loose change with me, as I always feel like a tight git when a charity collection comes along and I have none. Good luck!

[Pancake]

Spot the fat bloke' date=' that will be me ;-)[/quote']

 

Wearing Aviators?

[NSS]

Appreciate the kind words and messages of support, and the generous assistance being provided by posters on this board.

 

I understand the club will be posting details of the collection on the club web site on Friday morning.

 

Rich's mum & dad will be among those rattling buckets on Saturday afternoon, and they've asked me to convey their thanks for your support.

 

Cheers all, and Keep Smiling!

[Rob the Saint]

Blimey it's also like a 606 reunion on this thread !

 

Can't make the game tomorrow but will make sure my son (who incidentally is one of Mrs NSS IT pupils at college - small world etc) contributes on his and my behalf.

[Rob the Saint]

...and I've finally worked out who Pancake is ! (I think)

[Weston Saint]

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/8090281.Smile4Rich_appeal_to_hit_St_Mary_s/

[Saint_clark]

Is the collection in one location or will there be several people around the stadium?

[Weston Saint]

Is the collection in one location or will there be several people around the stadium?

Intending to cover every turnstile.

 

Frank's Cousin and myself will be covering Turnstile 1 Itchen

[Saint_clark]

Okie doke, cheers.

[NSS]

Blimey it's also like a 606 reunion on this thread !

 

Can't make the game tomorrow but will make sure my son (who incidentally is one of Mrs NSS IT pupils at college - small world etc) contributes on his and my behalf.

 

Blimey, small world indeed Rob! She'll be one of those shaking a bucket tomorrow. And many thanks in advance.

[Um Bongo]

Can't make it tomorrow but will make sure my mates and co give some money, Rich was a top lad. Still can't believe it was 8 years ago.....

[Pancake]

...and I've finally worked out who Pancake is ! (I think)

 

Lol!

[Weston Saint]

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/CommunityNews/0,,10280~2017144,00.html

 

Now on the official web site.

 

Please give generously

[Weston Saint]

Thanks to the many who donated.

 

Final collection figures will be emailed to the club who will report it on the Official site.

[NSS]

Firstly, a huge thank you to the 20 volunteers, including those from this board who gave up their pre-match drinking time, without whom today's collection would not have been possible.

 

Secondly, many thanks to Southampton Football Club for granting us this charity collection, it is greatly appreciated, and I'd like to thank Mark Abrahams (Community Manager) in particular for his assistance in organising and promoting the collection.

 

Finally, to all who donated today, your generosity has resulted in a total of £1,602.99 being raised for the Smile4Rich Appeal, every penny of which will help us to provide the Wessex Neurological Centre with the tools that will make it possible to save even more lives. So please, give yourselves a round of well deserved applause.

 

Thank you again, and please....

 

Keep Smiling!

[Ziggy Stardust]

Woah - that's an amazing result! So pleased and glad to have been a part of it.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Wonder who gave 99p though.....

[Saint_clark]

Wonder who gave 99p though.....

 

Great result, chuffed for all involved.

[NSS]

Woah - that's an amazing result! So pleased and glad to have been a part of it.

 

Cheers Ziggy. Good to see you again after so long, and many thanks to your OH too.

[Saint Lindford]

Excellent news. Thanks to all who generously donated, especially to the generous people going through turnstile D who had to put up with me shouting all the time. Voice is a bit ropey now. Keep smiling.

[Weston Saint]

Many thanks from Frank's Cousin and myself to all those entering through Turnstile A for their massive support and donations.

 

Frank was garanteeing a win to those donating. Thank God we did. Would have hated for him to have to stand outside afterwards giving out refunds

 

SAINTS SUPPORTERS, TAKE A BOW.

[Mr Sparky]

He told us we could give him a kicking if we didn't win. Really dont think he thought it through

[Frank's cousin]

He told us we could give him a kicking if we didn't win. Really dont think he thought it through

 

'Kick my arse' was what I said ;-)

 

If we had lost I would have done a runner and hidden the hat- it was a cunning disguise! LOL

 

Thanks to all who put up with my shouting - and we did win!

 

Cheers to all!