Arsenal FC urges fans to 'Be a gunner. Be a runner'

05/04/09

Arsenal Football Club and its Charity of the Season, Teenage Cancer Trust are delighted to announce a unique event which will unite Gunners at the world famous Emirates Stadium on Sunday 3 May 2009… Be a Gunner. Be a Runner.

Registration for the 10-lap 6.4 kilometer fun-run around the outside the Gunners’ home is now open to all Arsenal fans, keen runners and anyone aged over 15 years-old. All participants are asked to raise at least £100 in sponsorship for the charity dedicated to improving the lives of young people with cancer.

To enter the challenge, supporters should visit www.beagoonerbeagiver.org and register for £15. In return, runners will receive a special edition running vest as well as training, nutrition and equipment advice from start to finish. All funds raised as part of ‘Be a Gunner. Be a Runner.’ will go towards Arsenal’s season-long target of £300,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust. which will fund an Education Zone within a brand new Day Care Centre in London for young people diagnosed with cancer.

Arsenal’s speedy striker Theo Walcott said: “I hope we can get lots of people to sign up for what looks to be a great day at the stadium, and certainly a great fundraiser for Teenage Cancer Trust. We’ve got our target of £300,000 in sight now and the more people who sign up for ‘Be a Gunner. Be a Runner.’ the better chance we’ll have of smashing this amount and raising more much-needed cash for the charity.”

For runners unable to make it to north London on 3rd May, there is still an option to be part of the team. Once registered, budding athletes could run the equivalent distance in their local gym, down the park or around their local running track.

The ‘Be a Gunner. Be a Runner.’ event is part of Arsenal’s season-long ‘Be a Gooner. Be a Giver’. campaign. Through this, the Club aims to raise £300,000 to fund an Education Zone inside Teenage Cancer Trust’s unit in a brand new Day Care Cancer Centre due to open in London in 2012. Arsenal is the first organisation to commit to raising funds for the state-of-the-art unit and the Club hopes that other organisations will follow their lead, helping the charity to raise a further £1.2million to complete the development of their unit.

The Education Zone will be a dedicated space where young patients can keep up with their studies and also learn more about their cancer. The Zone will include computers and laptops with wireless access, enabling them to contact their school, keep in touch with their friends and even join in with lessons via webcam.