'It's about people coming together to remember them' - charity match at Blackpool FC for Elsie's Story
“The support we continue to receive means more than we could ever put into words.”
Blackpool FC will host a charity football match for a very special reason later this month.
Wirral FC and MVF Bury will take to the pitch in true community style to support Elsie’s Story, the charity set up in memory of Elsie Dot Stancombe, one of the young victims of the Southport attacks in 2024.
Elsie, seven, Bebe King, six, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar lost their lives in the tragic incident. The fundraising event, on May 30th will bring players, supporters and communities together for an afternoon of football and fundraising.
Adam Woods, manager of Wirral FC and Lee Crawford, manager of MVF Bury will lead the teams which will be captained by David Stancombe, Elsie’s dad, and Sergio Aguiar, the father of Alice da Silva Aguiar.
The match comes just weeks after David and Sergio completed the London Marathon side by side in memory of Elsie and Alice.
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The dads will now be swapping their running shoes for football boots as they take the teams out on the town’s Blackpool FC’s pitch at this special event.
Wirral FC manager Adam Woods said: “Our lads are always willing to step up and support good causes and Elsie’s Story feels very special. Raising money for charity means a lot to us and this event is about coming together to show support, remember three very special little girls and help make a positive difference through football.”
David Stancombe, Elsie’s dad, said: “The support we continue to receive means more than we could ever put into words. Events like this are not only about fundraising; they’re about people coming together to remember Elsie, Alice and Bebe. Seeing communities show such incredible support in their memory is incredibly special to all of us, and we’re so grateful to everyone taking part and supporting Elsie’s Story.”
MVF Bury manager Lee Crawford added: “As soon as we saw the advert asking for teams to get involved, we knew we wanted to support it. Any small contribution we can make to honour the memory of Alice, Bebe and Elsie is something everyone at Bury is proud to support.”
Elsie’s Story Charitable Trust raises money to make grants in Elsie’s name, supporting young people and helping children in the community.
The event has already raised more than £1,000, with organisers hoping to surpass their £4,000 target. All funds raised will support the ongoing work of Elsie’s Story.
Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite, while donations can also be made through the event’s JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/page/bloomfeildroad