There are very few things that transcend following your club. There are even fewer that transcend following Chelsea.
But when personal disaster strikes people, you have to take a step back and think; “Well, what can I do?”
In time the full reasons for the terrible tragedy at Gleision Collery will become known. Hopefully then, if there are lessons to be learned, they will be made public in time to prevent anything similar happening in the future.
In the meantime, though, those of us who have not been directly affected by the tragedy can only offer our sympathy and perhaps our money to help those who have had their lives so cruelly ripped apart.
And that is why I have no problem in lifting the following item word for word direct from the Chelsea website. It’s also why I am proud to be Chelsea.
MINERS FUND COLLECTION AT THE BRIDGE
Chelsea Football Club extends our sympathies to all those affected by the recent Gleision Colliery tragedy, in which four miners lost their lives and a fifth was hospitalised.
Bucket collections will be taking place around Stamford Bridge before today’s game against Swansea City and all proceeds from today’s matchday raffle, which is held in the hospitality areas at every home game, will be donated to the Swansea Valley Miners Appeal Fund. The club has also pledged to match the total figure raised with a second donation.
MP for Neath Peter Hain, who set up the fund, said: ‘The tragedy has cast a terrible dark cloud over the whole community, but the response has been absolutely overwhelming and given real comfort to the families.
‘The aim of the fund is to provide support, because the men were due to be paid next week. Now there’s no salary coming into the families.
‘I hope people will be generous and, as a long-standing Chelsea fan of 46 years, I’m extremely grateful for what the club is doing.
‘I’m sure everybody will have been moved by the tragedy and any money you can spare will help the families in the future.’
Donations can also be made by emailing donate@minersappealfund.org
For more information visit www.minersappealfund.org
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