Dulwich Hamlet FC Christmas Fundraiser
As the festive season approaches, Dulwich Hamlet is proud to announce that we will again be supporting the King’s College Hospital and The Albrighton Centre this Christmas.
Following what has become an annual tradition, we will be raising fund for two local organisations: King’s College Hospital and The Albrighton Centre.
Funds for King’s College Hospital will provide Christmas gifts for children spending the holiday in hospital.
Funds for the Albrighton Centre will help local families with food and essential household items over the festive period.
All donations will be split equally between the two organisations.
We will be fundraising via the Just Giving Page and at December home matchdays until Monday 22nd December 2025. This will allow us to donate prior to Christmas.
You can donate via our Just Giving Page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/dulwichhamlet-fc-xmas-2025?utm_medium=CF&utm_source=CL
If you have any questions about this festive initiate, please get in contact with our community team:
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Remembering Helena...
With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we shine a light on a Hamlet superfan.
No one ever thinks their child will get cancer, but every year in the UK around 1,900 children under the age of 15 will be diagnosed. That’s about one in every 450 children. The five year survival rate for these children is around 80%. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM) which aims to generate awareness and support for children suffering from cancer.Getting a childhood cancer diagnosis affects everyone in a family. One day things are fine, the next life forever changes. A family's new normal is full of unknowns and uncertainties.
This month Dulwich Hamlet Football Club is proud to once again be partnering with The Children & Young People’s Cancer’s Association (CCLG) to help raise awareness of childhood cancer. The impact childhood cancer can have on a family is something we are all too aware of at our club. In December 2024 Hamlet sadly lost one of its most passionate and committed young supporters...
HELENA'S STORY
Helena McLean regularly attended football both here at Champion Hill and travelling to away matches alongside dad Jimmy, brother Alex and Merlin - the family dog. However, Helena was diagnosed with a rare solid tumour in January 2021 when she was just 10-years old. She had been a normal happy and healthy child who enjoyed playing netball, football and tennis, as well as swimming, skateboarding and being with her friends.
During her hospital stays, Helena stayed active. She played pool and hula hooped while hooked up to the chemo pump, attended school lessons online, played her guitar and – despite losing her hair three times – stayed positive throughout. Being in hospital so much, missing school and friends and facing harsh treatments designed for adults was not easy. Yet Helena’s willingness to prove people wrong and live as ‘normal’ a life as possible was inspirational. She made sure that education was a priority with getting back to school top of her list. She also continued to support the teams with passion and pride and had a particular soft spot for Hamlet's Women’s team. Many will remember her dancing during the promotion celebrations in May 2024. Sadly, Helena was one of the unlucky ones. At the age of 14, she died in December 2024. The signs and symptoms of childhood cancer can be difficult to spot. Please visit the CCLG website and look at their Child Cancer Smart information (cclg.org.uk/childcancersmart) to understand what the red flags are. The most well-known type is leukaemia, but there are many other types that affect children.
CCLG, alongside other organisations, supported Helena and her family throughout her treatment and in the months that followed her passing. Since then, Helena’s family have continued to follow Hamlet's sides home and away, whilst Jimmy recently became a member of the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters’ Trust Board. The family have also set up the Team McLean fundraising page to raise funds for CCLG. Even if you haven't been directly affected by childhood cancer, please help them to raise awareness. Our children need more funding, kinder treatments and more awareness for childhood cancer. That can only be done with your help. So please use the QR Codes below to learn more about the valuable work that CCLG do, read more about Helena's Story and to donate to the Team McLean fund. 100% of funds raised will go into research for relapsed and refractory childhood cancer, with a focus on solid tumours.
QR CODES
Team McLean: https://specialnamedfunds.cclg.org.uk/team-mclean/
An update from the Dulwich Hamlet FC community group
The new season is underway and we are looking forward to another year of football and community. This season we have a wide ranging programme of initiatives planned – some familiar, some new – designed to support and connect with the wider community of which we are a part.
Whether it’s youth outreach, local partnerships, or match day activities, we remain committed to making a positive impact beyond the pitch to ensure that Champion Hill remains a place for everyone.
THE ALBRIGHTON CENTRE:
The Club is pleased to confirm the continuation of our partnership with The Albrighton Centre for the 2025/26 season. This ongoing collaboration reflects our commitment to supporting the local community and strengthening the ties between the football club and the people living around our stadium.
The Albrighton Centre, located just across the road from the ground, plays a vital role in the local area by offering a range of support services to individuals and families. One of its key initiatives is the Albrighton Community Fridge, which provides free access to surplus food and helps reduce waste.
Since its launch in 2018, the fridge has become an essential resource – particularly during the pandemic – and continues to meet growing demand amid the cost of living crisis. Supporters can contribute by donating essential items at home matches or volunteering with the Centre.
Donations can be dropped off at the main reception at Champion Hill on matchdays or directly at The Albrighton Centre. Keep an eye out on our socials for any special requests that the centre may be requesting as the season progresses.
MASCOTS WANTED:
Every home match day, we invite children from local schools, from nearby youth football teams and community groups, or even just passionate young Dulwich Hamlet fans, to walk out with the players before kick-off at Champion Hill.
We believe passionately that every child should have the chance to experience live football and to feel a real part of their local club. That’s why we offer this opportunity completely FREE of charge.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
1)
View Our Fixtures You can view upcoming fixtures for both our Men's and Women's Teams via the club website. Just jump online and visit either... dulwichhamletfc.co.uk/fixtures/mensfixtures-and-tickets OR dulwichhamletfc.co.uk/fixtures/womensfixtures-and-tickets
2)
Choose a Match Select a home fixture that works for you and the group you wish to get along to a match...
3)
Register Your Interest Use the QR Codes below to fill in the forms that let us know that you'd like to take part by. A member of the Community Team will then be in touch to confirm your place...
4)
Matchday Details On the day of the game, arrive at the tunnel 15 minutes before kick-off to meet our Community Team. You’ll then walk out with the players, take part in the pre-match line-up and have your photo taken on the pitch. Whether you're signing up as an individual or representing a group we look forward to welcoming you to Champion Hill!
Our 24/25 community work summarised
As another season comes to a close, we reflect not just on the action on the pitch - but also on the impact we’ve made off it. While results may not have gone entirely to plan, our work within the community remains as strong as ever.
Mascots and Community Tickets
One of the best sights on a match day is Champion Hill filled with families—young and old—coming together to support their local football club. This season, we’ve handed out thousands of free tickets to local school groups, youth organisations, and charities.
We’ve also given over 300 children the opportunity to walk out with their heroes as match day mascots. This is always offered free of charge—because we believe experiences like these should be accessible to all.
As soon as the new fixtures are released, bookings for next season will open. Keep an eye on the club website and our social media for sign-up details. Spaces filled up fast last year, so we recommend acting quickly!
Easter Egg Appeal
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated to our Easter Egg Appeal. In the lead-up to Easter, club officials and players from the Men’s Team visited The Albrighton Centre and King’s College Hospital, handing out over 250 Easter eggs to children in our community.
During our visit to the Albrighton Centre, we also spoke with volunteers running the food bank. They shared that demand has risen recently and they're always in need of donations. Right now, they’re especially looking for non-perishable food items such as tinned goods and pasta. You can donate directly to the centre or drop items at the club—we’ll make sure they’re delivered.
Charity Support
Throughout the season, we’ve raised awareness and funds for a number of local charities. Highlights include: Our Christmas Toy Drive for King’s College Hospital, The Easter Egg Appeal, The Children’s Cancer Trust and Team McLean, South Central Youth, Mental Health UK, and South East London Mind
A massive thank you to everyone who donated or got involved.
Football for All
Staying true to our ethos of inclusivity, we held our annual Her Game Too fixture and continued our support for Show Racism the Red Card. We're proud to share that our efforts were recognised nationally when we were awarded the Football v Homophobia “Semi-Professional Club of the Year” in March 2025.
Royal Engineers’ Festival of Football
A quick reminder that a Dulwich Hamlet XI—featuring players from the Men’s, Women’s, and Supporters’ teams—will be taking part in a charity match against the Royal Engineers on Saturday, 10th May 2025. Full details can be found in last week’s programme and on the club website and socials.
Follow Us on Instagram
Stay connected with all our community work by following our newly launched Instagram page: @DHFCCommunity. Give us a follow and stay in the loop!
Thank you to everyone who supported or contributed to our community outreach this season. If you have any feedback or ideas for next season, we’d love to hear from you. You can reach us at:
Best wishes, Rob
Our dedicated Her Game Too fixture is tomorrow afternoon!
Welcome to our Her Game Too fixture for 2025! This is our third dedicated fixture here at Champion Hill and we are pleased to welcome you all to today's game. We hope today will be another great fixture and a home win for the Hamlet too.
Founded back in May 2021, Her Game Too is a passionate movement dedicated to tackling sexism and promoting gender equality within the world of sport.
Recognising the pervasive challenges faced by women and girls in sport, Her Game Too strives to create an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of gender, can enjoy and participate in sports without fear of discrimination or harassment.
Our mission is to raise awareness of the issues women face in football, to celebrate female fans, players, and professionals, and to work alongside clubs, organisations, and governing bodies to foster a supportive and equitable atmosphere. Through powerful campaigns, community engagement, and educational initiatives, Her Game Too aims to inspire change and ensure football remains a game for all
2024 was another busy year for Her Game Too, we saw further growth of the campaign, as Her Game Too celebrated its third birthday, developed new partnerships, held and attended numerous events and grew the team of volunteers and supporters. We are now partnered with 77 out of the 92 clubs in the English Football League.
Her Game Too was recognised at the Football Content Awards for the third successive year, winning silver in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award - Organisation category.
Roopa Vyas, Chief Operating Officer of Her Game Too, was also awarded silver in the Individual category for excellence in EDI.
The campaign reached new audiences through the introduction of the Her Game Too podcast, featuring the stories of campaign ambassadors and supporters. The podcast, hosted by Clayton Fernandes, one of our males Her Game Too advocates, has provided an opportunity to discuss key topics, such as personal experiences of sexism and partnership working, in depth. Episodes have included an interview with Birmingham City’s Her Game Too Player Advocate Lukas Jutkiewicz and a focus on South Asian Heritage Month, featuring the campaign’s Aston Villa Ambassador Priyanka Jasraj.
In 2025, we aim to grow the campaign further. Recently, Kick It Out and Her Game Too have announced a new reporting relationship to support those who have experienced sexist and misogynistic abuse in football. More can be found about this here.
The Her Game Too campaign is growing fast in other areas of sport with Her Game Too so far being represented in Rugby, Cricket, Ice Hockey and E-Sports.
I have been the Dulwich Hamlet ambassador since December 2022, I really enjoy my volunteer role as it is something I am passionate about. I am always happy to hear from fellow supporters with ideas and improvements that can be made by the club and at Champion Hill.
If you would like to get involved and become a Her Game Too advocate for Dulwich Hamlet, we are always looking to recruit new members, both men and women, and add to the HGT movement. Please email the dedicated email address we have and we will be in touch:
TICKETS:
Want to get involved tomorrow afternoon? Get your tickets for our match with QPR here.
Nujum Sports donate Ramadan packs
Everyone at Dulwich Hamlet FC would like to thank the team from Nujum Sports who kindly donated a number of their Ramadan to some of our men's 1st team players.
Nujum have partnered with the Hamlet for a number of years and were advisors when we create our new prayer room inside one of the old squash courts. Since then they've donated Ramadan packs for a variety of our players.
EDI Officer Danny Mills had this to say, "We're really delighted and pleased that Nujum Sports has once again provided our players with Ramadan packs this year. Since we started our relationship with Nujum they've been influential in helping us set up our Prayer room, they've provided ongoing advise in regards to the needs of our Muslim players and we really thank them for their support and we look forward to working with them in the future."
EDI SURVEY:
In partnership with the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters' Trust we recently launched our EDI Survey. The survey is open to all supporters until the end of the 24/25 season and you can complete it here.
TIME TO HELP RELEGATE PROSTATE CANCER
We’re after your support to help get one over prostate cancer!!
- Prostate cancer is the number one diagnosed male cancer
- 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed in their life, 1 in 4 black men
- That’s over 50,000 dads, husbands, brothers, grandads, uncles and mates diagnosed in the UK every year
- Around 12,000 will die from prostate cancer every year
However, if caught early prostate cancer is very treatable:
To find out about your risk in 30 seconds visit prostatecanceruk.org/riskcheck
PAUL’S STORY:
I’m 59 years old, in March 21 I became;
- one of the 50,000 men diagnosed every year and
- sadly one of 10,000 men diagnosed too late every year to be cured.
So despite having no obvious symptoms my cancer is aggressive, advanced and incurable. My prognosis was that I have 5-8 years to live.
However I am very lucky, had I not been tested when I was my prognosis would have been much worse. My prognosis has also given me a very clear and positive focus that most people are never lucky enough to have.
That focus is now on creating great memories (3 amazing years!) whilst driving awareness of this disease and to raise vital funding for research in to better screening and treatments. My hope is that through this I can help prevent some men and their families going through the same journey that my family are.
When I was diagnosed I set myself a challenge of walking 25 million steps (the equivalent of 11,500 miles or from here to New Zealand) over 5 years. I’ve also taken on several more big physical challenges, tough as my treatment means I have almost no testosterone - The Yorkshire 3 Peaks (25 miles, 5000 feet of ascent in under 10 hours), a 43 mile all day walk, 3 walking marathons in 3 days, a 7 hour cross trainer challenge and the Jeff Stelling 26 mile marathon march from Wembley to Wycombe Wanderers. Its amazing what you can achieve when you focus on what you can influence and not what you can’t
Pease visit our table at Champion Hill for more info, for a great raffle and to show your support
Dulwich Hamlet will be supporting King’s College Hospital this Christmas!
As the festive season approaches, Dulwich Hamlet is proud to announce that we will again be supporting the King’s College Hospital Charity.
Following what has become an annual tradition, we are asking fans to donate money, which we will then be used to buy toys off the hospital's Christmas gift list.
The toys will then be delivered directly to the children’s department in time for Christmas.
We will be fundraising via the Just Giving Page and at home matchdays until Monday 23rd December 2024. This will allow us to make a donation prior to Christmas.
You can donate via our Just Giving Page:
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
If you have any questions about this scheme, please email:
50/50 Raffle – Saturday 7th December
We are pleased to announce that the club’s share of today's 50/50 draw will be donated equally to The Kings College Hospital Toy Appeal and the Albrighton Centre.
We are fundraising to buy toys off the hospital's Christmas gift list. The toys will then be delivered directly to the children’s department ready for our visit in December.
In addition, we will be also donating to the Albrighton Centre and the Community Fridge. This vital community resource helps many families in the area, and the need for the provision is going to be even greater this festive season.
You could win 50% of the money raised whilst also helping two great causes at Christmas.
If you have any questions about this scheme, please email:
50/50 Draw - Collecting for Shelter
We are pleased to announce that today's 50/50 draw will be a collection for Shelter.
Defected Records will be attending this afternoon and will be helping out with the collection. You can buy your tickets from Ian who will be under the stairs up to the bar or there will be sellers around the ground before kick off. You can buy via cash or card.
Tickets cost a pound each. Your ticket(s) will go into a draw and if your ticket comes up, you will win half the pot of money and the other half goes to Shelter.
We will also have a bucket collection by the blue gates at full time so if you have any change spare, your donations will be appreciated.
Community | Fundraiser for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
On Saturday we will be marking Childhood Cancer Awareness month by holding a fundraiser for the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group.
The group are a leading children’s cancer charity and the UK and Ireland’s professional association for those involved in the treatment and care of children with cancer.
We will be selling 50/50 tickets around the ground which you can buy by cash or card. 50% of the money raised will go to the winner and 50% to the CCLG.
If you would like to help with selling tickets, please email
Mental Health UK
Following on from our awareness and fundraising weekend for South East London Mjnd, we will be continuing our mental health awareness campaign throughout August.
Today, at our men’s home game against Cray Wanderers, we will be supporting Mental Health UK.
Representatives from one of our club sponsors, Virtus, are taking on the challenge of a 60km bike ride in aid of Mental Health UK.
The club will be donating it’s share of the 50/50 raffle pot to support Mental Health UK.
You can find out more about the challenge Max, Alex and Rishi are undertaking via their team Just Giving Page:
https://www.justgiving.com/team/virtus-contractsl2b
Who are Mental Health UK?
Mental Health UK is a charity organization that supports people affected by mental health issues across the UK. They provide a range of services and resources designed to help individuals manage their mental health and improve their overall well-being.
Mental Health UK is a collaboration of four national mental health charities: Rethink Mental Illness, Support in Mind Scotland, Hafal in Wales, and MindWise in Northern Ireland, working together to deliver a wide range of services across the UK.
For more information about this campaign or any of our community initiatives, please contact Rob via -
