The Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation (MMMF) has made a generous donation of £12,000 to Francis House Children’s Hospice. The charity, which was founded to preserve the legacy of the Busby Babes, raised the money through various fundraising activities, including a Gala Dinner attended by over 400 Manchester United fans and committee members.
Representatives from the MMMF, Ifty Ahmed and Anthony Crook, visited the hospice in Manchester to present the donation. They were welcomed by Francis House chief executive, Revd David Ireland, deputy chief executive Rachael Taylor, and senior fundraising officer Julie Williams. The visitors were given a tour of the hospice facilities, including the multi-sensory rooms that provide soothing sounds and visual stimulation to children and young people with life-limiting conditions.
The MMMF is dedicated to organizing and leading the annual Munich Air Disaster memorial service, which takes place in Germany on 6 February each year. The charity also raises money for disadvantaged young people in Belgrade, Manchester, and Munich.
Ifty Ahmed, chairman of MMMF, expressed his pleasure and honor to support Francis House. He stated, “We will continue to support Francis House for many years in the future. The respite and end of life care provided by the staff is truly humbling. This donation of £12,000 is a result of MMMF fundraising events, where guests were aware that the proceeds would go towards our charities, including Francis House.”
A significant part of the MMMF’s work is to pass on the memory of the Busby Babes and what was lost at Munich to future generations of Manchester United’s supporters. As a symbol of this drive, part of the money raised each year pays for a young person and their guardian to travel to Trudering-Riem for the anniversary.
In addition to supporting Francis House, the MMMF also supports other charities geared towards helping young people, such as DePaul UK (Manchester), Derian House (Chorley), and Francis House (Manchester). This is an acknowledgment of the potential that was cruelly lost back in 1958.
David Ireland, CEO of Francis House, expressed his gratitude for the support received from the MMMF. He said, “It’s the support that we get through people like yourselves who make such a big effort. We have 600 families on our books at the moment, and out of them, about 380 will come for respite during this year. For them, this is life-changing. Long may this association continue, and thanks so much to everybody involved.”
Located in Didsbury, Manchester, Francis House provides a home away from home for families of children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. The hospice offers a range of services, including respite care, day care, home care, sibling support groups, end-of-life care and symptom control, as well as emotional and bereavement support. It costs £4.8 million per year to run Francis House, and the majority of funding comes from charitable donations.
To learn more about the work of Francis House Children’s Hospice, visit their website at www.francishouse.org.uk.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.