A fundraising football match took place in Bletchingley last week as part of the Game4Ukraine initiative to rebuild schools  which have been destroyed in the war.

Oxted FC and Reigatians AFC turned their pre-season friendly into the world’s first Play4Ukraine match sporting the official logo. The match was a pilot for other grass roots teams to hold Play4Ukraine games. 

Photo credit:  @myclubgroup.  Photo shows East Surrey MP, Claire Coutinho, handing the ball to the referee.

Photo above shows Oxted FC and Reigatians AFC about to kick off the first pilot Play4Ukraine match in Bletchingley.

The main Game4Ukraine event takes place at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge on Saturday. 

The Bletchingley match was filmed for a short piece to be played out globally during an extended half time break at Stamford Bridge.  

Shane Wooton Manager of Reigatians AFC spoke to Susy Radio’s Neil Munday at the start of the inaugural Play4Ukraine event.

Chairman of Tandridge District Council, Chris Botten, watched the match together with relocated Ukrainian families, councillors and MPs:  

The two teams in the main Game4Ukraine event are managed by Arsene Wenger and Emma Hayes.  Ukrainian players, Andriy Shevchenko and Oleksandr Zinchenko will lead the teams; they are ambassadors for United 24, the official fundraising platform of Ukraine. 

Laura Cotterill from Game4Ukraine was in Bletchingley to watch the pilot match and spoke about the scale of Saturday’s global event held at Stamford Bridge:

Photo shows Susy Radio’s Neil Munday speaking with Laura Cotterill from Game4Ukraine (left) and Claire Coutinho, MP for East Surrey (centre)

Neil Munday’s full interviews from the event can be heard here:

http://www.susyradio.com/?p=43580&preview=true