Today is Blue and White Day, with schools, businesses and Brighton & Hove Albion supporters across Sussex celebrating the work of Albion in the Community.
More than 40 local schools and businesses have signed up to take part, encouraging staff and pupils to wear blue and white in return for a small donation to AITC. Some have also organised bake sales, penalty shoot-outs, raffles, football tournaments and a range of other fundraising activity.
Fans who would like to support Blue and White Day can do so by texting BWDAY to 70085 to give £3 and money raised today will help fund AITC’s award-winning local work.
AITC is also encouraging anyone who is taking part to share a blue and white-themed selfie on Twitter – with the charity’s favourite winning a signed picture of AITC ambassador and Seagulls ‘keeper Maty Ryan.
To be in with a chance of winning the picture, simply tweet a photo of you wearing blue and white using the hashtag #BlueandWhiteDay19 and tagging in @AlbionintheComm. AITC will then select a winner and send them a direct message letting them know how to claim their prize – so fans taking part will also need to make sure they follow the charity on Twitter in order to receive confirmation.
Last year’s Blue and White Day raised more than £7,500, which was enough to fund two of the charity’s football sessions for people with a disability for an entire year - something which will have benefitted dozens of young people who otherwise may not have had the chance to play the sport they love.
AITC now runs more than 30 football sessions for people with a disability, including a growing number of disability-specific sessions, many of which take place at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre.
The charity also works with 148 local schools, helping young people throughout Sussex get more active as well as delivering its football-themed numeracy and literacy sessions. AITC also provides free weekly football to more than 1,500 young people living in areas of deprivation, and has a thriving further education team which has delivered more than 500 nationally-accredited qualifications in the last 12 months alone.
For regular updates on AITC’s work, follow the charity on Twitter at: @Albioninthecomm.