Bereaved dads football team seeks sponsor

A new Stratford football team supporting dads who have lost their children, is appealing for sponsorship ahead of the next football season.

Sands United FC Warwickshire, was formed by Kenny Harrison in December, following the death of his young son Freddie earlier in 2018.

The team aims to help fathers realise that they are not alone in what they are going through and provide an outlet for dads to open up about their experiences if they want to talk.

Each player has the name of their child embroidered on their kit and every dad is given the captaincy of the team when the anniversary of their child’s death approaches.

Kenny was a member of the original Sands United team established in Northampton, but upon moving to Warwickshire, decided to set up the county’s own Sands United team.

Following Kenny’s example, 21 other Sands United teams have since been established across the country.

The Warwickshire team, which currently trains between Radford and Stratford, will hopefully join the Tracey Thomas Sunday Football League in September, but are desperately seeking a local business to sponsor its shirts.

Kenny said: “We’ve already got a squad of 24 players, I really didn’t think it would pick up this quick, it’s been mind-blowing. It’s fantastic to see so many Sands United teams appearing around the country and we’re aiming to play our first charity game in July prior to hopefully entering the league. We’re currently in negotiations about playing our home games on the Rec.”

Kenny added that the team was still on the lookout for new players and anyone interested in joining the squad or sponsoring the team should email warwickshiresandsfc@gmail.com or call 07988462661.

Sands United is not just limited to fathers who have lost their child during pregnancy or soon after birth, anyone who has lost a young child in their family can join.