VANARAMA, who sponsor the Football Conference, together with Prostate Cancer UK have thanked football fans after raising thousands of pounds for the charity on Non League Day.
Backed by Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier, Vanarama made a donation on behalf of every fan attending Vanarama Conference fixtures on Non League Day.
A total of 38,675 fans watched Non-League top-flight fixtures, resulting in a donation of £7,735 being pledged to Prostate Cancer UK.
“We are delighted with the success of Non-League Day 2014,” said Vanarama’s managing director Andy Alderson.
“As well as raising vital funds for Prostate Cancer UK, we were overwhelmed with the way the fans engaged with the thumbs up campaign.
“More than 4,600 unique hashtag tweets and in excess of 30 million timeline deliveries were made for, #thumbsup4nld.
“Importantly, behind the stats the real warmth, humour and depth of feeling for the Vanarama Conference, evident in the tweets, was heart-warming.
“Encouraging growth in grass roots football is vital to our nation’s game. We were just shy of the all time attendance record for Non-League Day.
“This is our first year of sponsorship of the Conference, so from a standing start we’re really proud of that. Raising thousands for charity to boot makes it even more worthwhile.”
Mark Bishop, director of fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK, added: “Using football as a way of talking to men about a disease that kills one man every hour has proved incredibly powerful.
“Reaching out through the grass-roots game has helped us spread our net further through clubs and supporters. We’re so grateful to the fantastic backing from Vanarama, over a hugely successful weekend.
“By so generously doubling their donation they are helping us in our quest to save men’s lives”
