Supporters were asked to bring a £1 donation to the match with Everton and responded in style, helping the charity to a total almost exactly equivalent to the number of home fans at the game.
The money raised will be used to help Albion in the Community fund its award-winning work throughout Sussex and Perry, who is also the charity’s chair of trustees, was keen to thank Albion fans for their generosity and their compassion.
He said, “To raise £27,000 in just one afternoon is amazing. There were 27,000 home fans in the stadium on Saturday, so that works out as an average of £1 donated per supporter, which is absolutely fantastic.
“This will make a real difference to the people we work with.
“A recent study has shown that for every £1 we raise the charity delivers £8.84 in social value; that means that the actual impact of Saturday’s fundraising will be very nearly £250,000 in and around the Greater Brighton City Region.
“Everyone at the charity is so grateful to the club’s supporters and I would personally like to thank them for their continued generosity; the money they have donated really will help Albion in the Community change the lives of the local people who most-need the charity’s support.”
And the good news is the total raised will almost certainly increase further, with Albion in the Community soon to auction a selection of the match-worn shirts from the game and other donations still coming in.
As well as the bucket collection, Albion in the Community also held a silent auction in the hospitality lounges, and a raffle in the stadium’s restaurants. There were also several contactless donation points outside the stadium, which attracted a large number of separate donations. Fans buying tickets to the game online were also asked to make a small donation when booking their tickets.
As well as proving a vital fundraiser for the charity, the annual Albion in the Community game is also a fantastic opportunity for the charity to showcase its work to the club’s fans and several people who regularly attend Albion in the Community sessions were invited to the game as guests of the charity.
Perry added, “A 94th minute winning goal and £27,000 raised for Albion in the Community – as far matchdays go, we couldn’t really have asked for more.”