Collingwood Football Club’s annual 24 hour game to kick off this Friday

CCAFC are preparing for their annual 24 Hours of Football, which will begin later this week, on Friday 22nd November.

The event, comprising students, university staff, and members of local Durham community groups and junior clubs, will raise money for the Sir Stanley Matthews Coaching Foundation. The charity aims to create a positive atmosphere around sport, promoting the development and union of young people by increasing their sporting participation.

Recent projects funded by the Foundation have backed a football club for people living with Down’s Syndrome in London, as well as an outreach programme to engage with child soldiers in Uganda.

So far, there have been over 175 sign ups to participate in the game, which runs non-stop for 24 hours after its 7pm kick off.

The CCAFC 24 Hours of Football in 2018 successfully raised £7,610 for CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), and later went on to win the award of “Durham Student Event of the Year” for the academic year 2018-19.

This year’s rendition will also see an array of live music, cheerleading performances, a raffle, food vans- though perhaps more tantalisingly, extended opening hours at the Collingwood Bar, as well as an official club night at Players.

Callum Elson, Outreach Secretary for CCAFC, told The Tab Durham: “This event is just one way in which CCAFC has become far more than just a football club over the past few years.

“I’ve absolutely loved working to help make this happen, and hope to see as many people down as possible, having fun and raising money!”

Over £2,000 has been raised for SSMCF through its online donation page, which can be found here.

Additionally, the opportunity to participate in the event is still open, with students from all colleges encouraged to apply. Those wishing to do so can find out more details through the online form.

Images provided by CCAFC from the 2018 24 Hours of Football event.