Genting, the leading international leisure and hospitality group and the UK’s largest operator of casinos, is pleased to announce that it has organised a charity football competition alongside the unveiling of the Aston Villa home kit for the 2011/12 season. Star players Darren Bent, Gabby Agbonlahor, Marc Albrighton and Nathan Delfouneso will take aim to net £100,000 for St Basils, a charity supported by Genting, and Acorns Children’s Hospice, a charity supported by Aston Villa.
The home kit launch and football challenge will take place at 6.30pm on Tuesday 19 July at Star City, Birmingham’s famous leisure and entertainment centre. Aston Villa fans are invited to attend the kit unveiling and support the players as well as compete themselves to win a host of prizes.
“This is an exciting moment for us being part of the launch of Villa’s home kit and helping raise monies for two worthwhile charities”, said Peter Brooks, Deputy Chairman of Genting Casinos. “This is also an exciting moment for Villa fans. We want them to come down to Star City to join us, be amongst the first to see the fabulous new kit and cheer their heroes. There will also be an opportunity for them to win Villa merchandise,” Peter Brooks added.
St Basils is a Birmingham and Solihull-based charity that works with young people to prevent youth homelessness through providing accommodation and support. Since being established in 1972 with just one night shelter in Birmingham, it has grown to have 27 accommodation projects and 363 bed spaces across North Worcestershire and the West Midlands, providing supported accommodation for young people aged 16 to 25. Around 4000 young people a year access St Basils’ range of support services, which include housing aid and advice; family mediation; peer educators; learning skills and work; advice and guidance on education, employment and training.
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Aston Villa’s record-signing Darren Bent said: “People will look at the size of my transfer fee when I joined Villa and appreciate the weight of expectation on my shoulders at the time. I was always confident because I live and breathe goals – that’s what I do for a living and I thrive on taking chances. In terms of pressure, this challenge is right up there with any I’ve faced because myself and the other lads are attempting to raise a massive amount of money for worthwhile charities and one very close to the heart of the club.
“I visited Acorns on my first day at Villa and was really hit by the warmth of the place and the generosity of the people there – people who give their time for very sick children. It would mean the world to me to hit the target. I’ll be giving it everything I’ve got. The great thing is, if I don’t manage it, there are the likes of Gabby, Nathan and Marc – who all certainly know where the target is.”
Commenting on St Basils, Peter Brooks said: “Genting staff from our three casinos in Birmingham has taken St Basils to their heart. They have organised events, taken part in charity walks and given up a lot of their personal time to support the charity and raise thousands of pounds in the last year. I am sure they all will be rooting for the Villa stars to hit the mark.” (E-07.13.11)
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