Non-League Day 2011
Following the success of last year’s campaign, the Non-League Day (NLD) team are delighted to announce that this year’s event will be held on Saturday September 3rd 2011. If anyone requires a refresher on both the concept and purpose of the day, the original website can be found here http://www.nonleagueday.co.uk/ . Additionally, there was short article on BBC London News <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzB2CXhcXX4>. The new website is scheduled for launch in July once the fixtures are released. Bear in mind September 3rd is FA Cup day, so some matches are subject to change.
NLD is a celebration of the semi-professional and amateur game, and a chance for fans of bigger clubs to experience football at a level they may be otherwise unfamiliar with. Moreover, it is a chance to shine a light on the hundreds of clubs in this country who are almost exclusively volunteer run, and do so much good for the local community, be it through coaching, fund raising or providing opportunities for local people.
The promotion for last year’s event was entirely self-funded, and despite limited time and resource, we managed to get a considerable amount of coverage in local and national media. This year, we want to gain a head start and engrain the day on the public consciousness. We have already started this process by signing up MacMillan Cancer Support as our official charity, which we hope will be a mutually beneficial partnership. The charity is of particularly relevance to the non-league game as it was the chosen beneficiary of and carer for Tony Kempster, the nationally recognised non-league statistician, who sadly died from the disease a couple of years ago. A link with more information can be seen below.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8112000/8112678.stm
We will be working with MacMillan in the build up to NLD with a view to fund raising at grounds on September 3rd. This may mean allowing their volunteers in with buckets, or simply placing a collection tin in the clubhouse. Further details will be announced through the NLD website, and we are open to any ideas or suggestions clubs have.
The NLD team will continue to do as much as possible to promote the day, but the more assistance we get doing this, the better it will be for everyone. If you have any questions, or wish to contribute in any way, please feel free to email either James@nonleagueday.co.uk or mike@nonleagueday.co.uk
Kindest Regards
James Doe & Mike Bayly
Non-League Day
