After inviting nominations from its members and supporters, Lewes Football Club can announce that the club’s Local Charity Partner for the 2011-12 season will be Samuel’s Children’s Charity.

This means that Samuel’s will feature as the sponsor on the club’s home shirt. The charity will also be given free advertising space at the ground, in the matchday programme, on the website and other official club information as well as benefitting from co-fundraising events.

Samuel’s Children’s Charity was founded by Samantha Read after the loss of her ten-year old son Samuel to a brain tumour in July last year. Since then, Samantha and a small army of helpers have worked tirelessly to raise funds for families with sick children.

Commenting on Lewes FC’s choice of Samuel’s Children’s Charity, Samantha said: “We are still in shock and totally overwhelmed.”

“It couldn’t have come at a more special time as we are approaching the year anniversary of losing Samuel and marks a bitter-sweet achievement for us and the charity.”

“What Lewes FC is going to achieve for us is a huge amount of support with raising awareness into our charity, which can generate more fundraising opportunities and help spread the word of our mission.”

Samantha said: “During Samuel’s illness we found that there is not always help for children and their families at the time when it is needed most.”

“Samuel had a wish granted to visit Legoland, but it took five months to get funding and by the time it came, Samuel was in a wheelchair and could no longer walk.”

“The other problem is that these grants often make no allocation for more than one parent to accompany a child, even for things like overnight stays at hospitals.”

Steve Duly, Business Development Director at Lewes added: “Samuel’s Children’s Charity is a Lewes-based charity fulfilling a genuine need for families in difficult circumstances. Crucially, they are small enough and flexible enough to be able to get the right help to people fast.

“We are proud to wear their name on our shirts.”

More details for the charity can be found at

The club will also be shortly announcing the national charity whose name will be on the Lewes away shirts.

Similar Posts:

• Small Sided Referee Course
• Lewes FC announces search for new manager
• Lewes planning big end to the season
• Lewes are relegated
• Lewes manager search gathers pace