The Footprints Cup 21 Comes to Ilkeston Town on Sunday 8th August at 2:30 pm!
Nottingham Forest football legends, TV stars and local heroes are rallying together to stage a football match to raise money for Nottingham based charity Footprints Conductive Education Centre. The centre, based in Sneinton, helps babies and pre-school children affected by Down’s Syndrome and conditions such as cerebral palsy that cause motor disorders or motor development delay to reach their full potential in a safe, fun and supportive environment.
Established in 2018, this year’s Footprints Cup is dedicated to Oscar Leonardo Martin’s memory. He was born with Down’s Syndrome in September 2019 and tragically lost his life in December of that year due to a serious bowel infection. Now, 18 months later, the family are calling on the community to celebrate Oscar’s life by coming along to support the Footprints Cup 2021 and raise vital funds for Footprints.
The event is also an opportunity to raise awareness about conductive education, the services provided by Footprints and the positive impact their work has on the lives of children with motor learning difficulties, motor delay and Down’s syndrome. In addition, footprints are a welcome support for parents, offering practical guidance, information, and emotional support, helping them gain confidence and the strength needed to cope with their child’s disability.
A galaxy of football greats and celebrities will be dusting off their boots and taking to the pitch at Ilkeston Town Football Club, dedicating their time and physical effort to support Footprints and the memory of young Oscar.
With each team managed by a former Scotland international and great footballing rivals, this is a match not to be missed! Nottingham Forest’s hardman, Kenny Burns’ team, will face Team Gemmill, led by non-other than Archie Gemmill, winner of league titles at Derby County and Forest.
Gemmill will be pulling out all the stops to make sure his team gets the better of their opponents, fielding a side that includes former Forest players, including Marlon Harewood and Eugen Bop. Adding strength and depth to the team, stars from Emmerdale James Hooton and Jay Kontzle, along with David Kennedy and Rishi Nair from Hollyoaks, are set to dazzle supporters with their silky skills.
Determined not to be outplayed, Burn’s side features no less than five former pros, including Paddy Kennedy in goal and Forest legends Andy Reid and Guy Moussi. Emmerdale star Joe Warren-Plant will be joined by Billy Price and Owen Warner from Hollyoaks, adding star quality to the team. Sky Sports presenter Tom White, Andrew Self from BBC’s Greatest Dancer and Stapleford boxing great Nathan Kirk add the celebrity dimension. The honour of leading out Team Burns goes to Tommy Martin, Oscar’s dad.
Footprints Manager Andrea Kelly comments: “We are overwhelmed by the support shown for the Footprints Cup once again, and we are so pleased to have it back again following a years’ absence due to Covid. This year will be especially poignant as the community comes together to celebrate Oscar’s life. The funds raised at the Footprints Cup make a huge positive impact on our ability to help families in Nottingham and the East Midlands, and I would like to thank everyone for their support. We can’t wait for kick-off on Sunday!”
A host of attractions alongside the football match will ensure that everyone is well entertained, so this should be an excellent afternoon for the whole family and a chance to help a worthy cause whilst enjoying the fun.
More information on players, prizes and tickets can be found at https://bit.ly/TheFootprintsCup21Tickets or on the Footprints Cup 2021 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/teamfootprintsfc.
In addition to Footprints, Oscar’s mother, Bethany Moreledge, has set up a GoFundMe page to share Oscars’ story and raise money and awareness for the charity Positive About Down Syndrome. The donation page can be found here https://uk.gofundme.com/f/OscarLeonardoMartin.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Please get in touch with Chris Mitchell at RedTree PR on 07743 897 748 or email Chris.Mitchell@redtreepr.com.
PLEASE NOTE – RedTree PR is not being paid to promote this event. We are doing this due to our MD’s personal connection with people involved in Oscar’s story and the Downs Syndrome community.
