University of Gloucestershire’s American Football team are taking on the Universities Men’s Football team and Women’s Football team in a joint charity match this afternoon.
Club captain Aidan Morris expressed how proud he was to be able to raise money for his cousins charity, Join Our Boys.
“We’re really looking forward to it. It’s going to a charity called Join Our Boys, it’s a personal one to me. It’s about my cousins in Ireland who are terminally ill with something called DND.
“It’s going to a good cause. I said to the other teams that they could put forward a charity as well but they said go ahead and I was so happy to be able to have that opportunity to raise money for such a close cause to myself.”
The Join Our Boys charity launched in 2014 by Paula and Padraic Naughton to support their three sons who were all diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) in 2012.
The charities mission is to ensure children in Ireland have access to research trials and standard of care, along with raising awareness for the disease.
Unfortunately, Archie Naughton passed away in 2022 at 16 years old, with his brothers George and Isaac having turned 16 in May.
“Hopefully all the money of the research can help save their lives, if not their lives, other people’s lives who come after them.
“The boys are now 16, and their older brother passed away at 16 so their life is very limited.”
The idea for the charity event came from Morris who proposed the idea to the UOG women’s football captain, ultimately including the men’s football team in the final plan.
“I had the plans in my mind before I ever told anyone about it, so I spoke to the women’s football captain and asked her what she thought and she said absolutely.
“We’re really looking forward to it, it’s a big game. It’ll be quite a funny one as well so hopefully lots of goals are scored.”
Club captain of the women’s team, Abi Donavan, stated “As students we recognise we are in such a blessed position to be able to host an event for a good cause means a lot to the club. It’s an opportunity for us to raise awareness and funds for a charity we support.
“It brings three sports club together for a meaningful purpose and strengthening our community at the University of Gloucestershire.”
