Middlesbrough Football Club (MFC) Foundation held a special Christmas event for vulnerable families across the region last week.
Held at the Herlingshaw Centre in Middlesbrough, almost 100 families were treated to a visit from Santa and his helpers, Middlesbrough FC first team players; Matt Clarke, Hayden Hackney, Alex Mowatt and Duncan Watmore.
The players joined in with the activities, signed autographs, posed for photos with families, and gave out presents.
Along with climbing aboard MFC Foundation’s ‘Boro Bus’, families took part in fun activities including football drills, arts and crafts, and even enjoyed a cinema room, all complemented by entertainment from a live band.
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Teesside Park, a long-standing partner of MFC Foundation, donated £5,000 towards the event and to building hampers of essential items, which have been delivered to the families after the event.
Catherine Furlong, centre director at Teesside Park, said: “The work MFC Foundation does in the community is always important, but this event shows their incredible ability to reach vulnerable families across Teesside at times when they need it most.
“We are very proud of our partnership with the Foundation and pleased that we can support them with this special Christmas event.”
Head of MFC Foundation, Lyndsey Edwards, added: “We are so grateful for the support of Teesside Park throughout the year, but this was extra-special.
"To be able to help people at this time of the year is something which makes us both proud and humble. The best part of the day wasn’t one thing, it was that every time you looked you saw a child with a smile on their face and that’s special.
“We look forward to more collaboration with Teesside Park as they, like us, invest in our communities in the weeks, months and year ahead.”
If you’re interested in helping out with MFC Foundation, whether that be volunteering at one of their centres across Teesside or organising your own fundraiser, please find out more about how to get involved here.
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