Dale supporters dig deep

Dale Supporters Trust Chairman, David Gartside, who was joined by Rochdale AFC Assistant Manager Chris Beech, presented the CFT with a cheque

Recent fundraising efforts from Dale supporters has seen a grand total of £900 donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

All proceeds from the sale of tickets for the Rochdale AFC End of Season Awards Night went directly to the CFT, as did money raised on the night of the Dale Trust’s Quiz Night.

Dale Supporters Trust Chairman, David Gartside, who was joined by Rochdale AFC Assistant Manager Chris Beech, presented the CFT with a cheque on Wednesday afternoon.

Beech’s son Brandon suffers from Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and his every day life is a constant battle. He has physio twice a day to remove the mucus that builds up in his lungs as well as using a nebuliser machine twice a day that delivers antibiotics into his lungs.

Brandon looks healthy on the outside, but with CF all the damage is on the inside. It’s a lifelong challenge involving vast daily intakes of drugs and isolation from others with the condition.

The disease directly affects around 10,000 people in the UK.

David Gartside, commented: “Every season the Dale Supporters Trust chooses a charity to work with and after we found out that Chris had a connection to Cystic Fibrosis through his son Brandon we wanted to work with him because not only is it a worthy cause, it also has a very close connection to the club.

“We’ve done several fundraising exercises together this season and we’ve finally came up with a total of £900 which we have just presented.

“I would like to say a massive thank you to everybody – all the supporters and the people that have contributed, and not least Dale Chief Executive Colin Garlick and the club who have been very supportive and have also boosted the final figure with a contribution.”

Chris Beech would also like to say a big thank you: “I really can’t thank supporters enough. Their generosity throughout the season has been astounding. I’d also like to say thank you to the Dale Supporters Trust who picked the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as their chosen charity, I’m extremely grateful.”

Bev Burnham-Jones regional fundraising manager for the North West and Cumbria added: "We are really grateful to the Dale Trust for the fantastic donation of £900. We are here to beat Cystic Fibrosis and support those with the condition and their families and we could not achieve so much if it wasn't for the support of people like the Trust."