Altrincham’s rainbow shirts prove their worth

Altrincham have announced that their rainbow shirt initiative back in February raised around £2,500 for a major refurbishment of Manchester’s LGBT + centre
Alty made headlines on a global scale when they became the first football club in the world to wear a kit based on the LGBT flag for their Vanarama National League North match against Bradford (Park Avenue) at The J.Davidson Stadium.
It was a pioneering stance in support of Football v Homophobia month, and the club felt it entirely fitting that proceeds from the sale of shirts worn by Altrincham’s history-making players should go towards improvement work on the hugely-popular LGBT centre in Sidney Street.
An appeal for funds was launched by the Lord Lieutenant of Manchester Warren Smith last June, after it was estimated £2.25million was needed to equip the centre with the space and facilities to cope with growing numbers wishing to use it.
Campaign bosses are edging ever-nearer their target, and they took another step towards it when Alty chairman Grahame Rowley handed over a cheque for £2,500, the amount generated by an auction of the players’ shirts in the Community Sports Hall after the Bradford game.
The ceremony took place prior to kick-off at Saturday’s 5-3 home win over Chorley, with Mr.Rowley presenting the cheque to Sally Carr MBE from the Proud Trust, who manage the centre.
‘It was a wonderful occasion when the Altrincham players wore their special shirts, and I was delighted to return to the stadium to receive this valuable contribution to our work,’ she said. ‘We are undertaking a two-year project to refurbish the centre, and we will certainly be inviting Altrincham FC to the opening ceremony.’