Former footballers to run half-marathon to help struggling families – South London News

By Maeve Cullinan

Two former non-league footballers have joined forces this Christmas to support struggling South Londoners during the cost-of-living crisis.

Francis Duku and Damien Scannell, who played for Fisher Athletic and Dulwich Hamlet, are raising funds for a charity hamper collection, and hope to provide 75 hampers to those in need.

Mr Scannell will today lead a group of around 15 men dressed in Christmas jumpers on a half-marathon.

Mr Duku aims to raise donations for the run through the support of the non-league football community, as he now runs an organisation named ‘Our Game Football’ for players and clubs.

Their aim is to raise £4,000 in total to purchase the hampers for struggling families.

This is not the first time the former players have been involved with supporting local community.

Francis Duku (Picture: Duncan Palmer photography)

Mr Duku’s ‘Our Game Football’ runs a community scheme which provides health and wellbeing services for individuals and helps players who have suffered from injury return to the pitch.

Mr Scannell is the founder of SuperDads’, a service targeted at supporting dads, and encouraging all men to take their health seriously.

In the past three years, they have raised more than £20,000 for underprivileged children.

Of their goal to support 75 families in South London, Mr Scannell said: “We appreciate any help that can be provided to help us reach our target of raising money to those who need support this Christmas.

“It’s a tough time for the whole country at the moment, so it is definitely an ambitious target but being able to help as many of those as possible who are in need is even more important if we can”.

Mr Duku said: “The non-league football community is very wide-ranging and reaches into a lot of areas, and having first-hand experience of the support of Fisher and Dulwich Hamlet fans and the role the clubs play in their local communities, both Damian and myself are hopeful of reaching and exceeding our target and being able to help as many families as possible.”

To support their work, you can donate here.

Pictured top: Damien Scannell (Picture: Duncan Palmer Photography)

 

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