Staggies help Maggie's with free match tickets
Ross County Football Club has scored again with cancer charity Maggie’s Highland.
Thanks to their close relationship, the cancer support centre has been presented with 10 free season tickets for the premiership side.
These tickets will be available to Maggie’s Highland centre users as a way to have a free day out with their families.
The season tickets were presented to Maggie’s by Ross County manager Owen Coyle and players last Thursday during training at the Global Energy Stadium in Victoria Park, Dingwall.
Also present were Andrew Benjamin, Maggie’s Centre fundraising manager, Fraser Gorman, Ross County’s digital film analyst and Emily Cerys Wilson, the general manager of Ross County FC.
This was also to promote a big Staggies for Maggie’s fundraising effort on Saturday, October 21 when Maggies and Staggies supporters as well as the local community will unite to take part in a five mile sponsored walk around Dingwall.
The walk will raise much-needed and essential funds for Maggie’s Highlands, as well as being a great family day out.
Every walker will be given a free match day ticket for that day’s match against Hamilton, and all the hikers will be seated together to create a memorable day.
Mr Coyle said he was aware of the outstanding work Maggie’s did for people with cancer because when they lived in Glasgow, his wife Sally volunteered for the Maggie’s Centre in that city.
He said he became interested in the charity at that time and realised what fantastic work they did. Anything the club can do to help Maggie’s or help those living with cancer is a "massive positive" in his book.
He said he hoped the season tickets would give cancer sufferers a chance to have a great day out with family and take their minds off what they are going through.
Coyle said he and staff members would do the sponsored walk route on the Friday, and he urged as many Staggies supporters to turn out for the walk on the following day.
Last October saw the number of participants for the event double to 170 walkers and raise a whopping £16,000 for Maggie’s, which was twice the amount collected in 2015.This year organisers are hoping that more than 300 people will get their walking shoes and take part.
Maggie’s Highland fundraising manager Andrew Benjamin said: "Ross County FC has been so very supportive of Maggie’s and in particular with this event, and we are delighted to be working with them for a third year.
"I would urge all supporters and families to sign up to this fantastic day and play their part in supporting Maggie’s."
Maggie’s offers free practical and emotional support for all people living with cancer, and their family and friends.
Built in the grounds of specialist NHS cancer hospitals, the first Maggie’s Centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996 and there are now 21 centres across the UK and abroad, with more planned for the future. Maggie’s also has an Online Centre.
Maggie’s relies on voluntary donations to support and grow its network of centres and to develop its unique, high quality programme of support.
The charity’s aim is to make the biggest difference possible to people living with cancer and their family and friends. This year 2017 marks Maggie’s 21st anniversary.