13:00, 09 July 2021
Words by Smiley Team, Staff Writer, London
It's been fever in England for the past month, as the nation watched the team reach the Euro 2020 final against Italy. And the good news doesn't stop there. It's been reported that the England football team may donate part of their Euro 2020 prize money to NHS charities. All the details around the large donation are not yet finalised, due to tax reasons. But we're hoping for a positive outcome.
A spokesperson for NHS Charities told Smiley News: "The England squad generously supported NHS Charities Together via the Players Together initiative last year, but no decisions have yet been confirmed regarding future donations."
NHS Charities Together is the national charity caring for the NHS and it's made up of members based with hospitals, mental health, ambulance and community health services across the UK. Its work has been crucial supporting NHS staff throughout the pandemic.
During this time, the charity has shifted its focus to supporting immediate practical and emotional needs of staff and patients and helping to take pressure off an overstretched health service.
England players donated their match fees for each Euro 2020 game to good causes. This was confirmed in a statement on behalf of the players before the tournament began, which said: "Following positive discussions with the FA, the England senior men’s squad are pleased to confirm that a significant donation from their international match fees will be made to NHS Charities Together via the #PlayersTogether initiative."
The Players Together initiative was set up in 2020 to donate funds to the NHS charities in an effort to fight the Covid-19 outbreak.
Throughout the past year, players such as Jordan Henderson, Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford have worked hard fundraising and doing charity work.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been awarded an MBE for services to charity and was recognised for his help in forming the Players Together fund. Marcus Rashford has been an advocate and campaigner against ending child food poverty in the UK, and Harry Maguire has been donating to the elderly members of the community in his home town of Mosborough.
Find out more about the work of NHS Charities Together on its website.
Image credit: Marco Iacobucci Epp / Shutterstock.com
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