Community talk from tonight's programme

For those who never picked up a copy, or couldn't get to Champion Hill tonight, here's what we wrote:

Good evening, tonight we are at home again, only three days since our victory over Billericay Town on Saturday.
I’ve got to admit, with so many games here at Champion Hill it is a bit of struggle to find something a ‘bit fresh’ to put into my column. But this evening there’s really only one thing I can write about…and the magnificent, gobsmacking, jaw-dropping…pick any superlative you like out of the dictionary & add it to the list: Yes, the unbelievable response to the hastily knocked up appeal to help the plight of refugees who are suffering in appalling conditions over the Channel in Calais.
Big credit and pats on the back go to the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters Trust for arranging & publicizing the collection only 48 hours before the match, with Jack Spearman & Dave Rogers being their lead Board Members on the project. Not just our own regular fans responding, but plenty of folk who aren’t even Hamlet fans from our local community, who donated, want to do their bit.
The collection is on-going tonight, and the Trust will be busy tomorrow evening from six o’clock onwards, which is Wednesday 9th September, sorting out all of the goods donated & any fans who can volunteer to help will be most welcome…just go to the far end of the bar to so on the night.
And you’ll also get a chance to glimpse a little bit of live football too, as the Youth Team are at home to Meridian in the FA Youth Cup preliminary round, kick off of that is at 7.45pm.
Football is an emotional game, and there can rarely, if ever, have been so many Hamlet fans shedding a little tear or two for non-footballing reasons, as there were as the huge pile of goods donated piled up.
The Football Club had no hesitation at all in allowing the Trust to hold the appeal at our games…as a Club we have to suffer brickbats thrown at us…but when you see such a wonderful humanitarian response from our supporters it really does go in one ear & out the other. We’ve heard it all before, and it means nothing. Water off a ducks back. Collections led by the Trust on Saturday make us all collectively prouder and stronger.
Back to the actual match on Saturday..our goalscorer, for the only goal of the game in the last minute, was Rhys Murrell-Williamson earned ourselves all three points. Rhys, for those who are not aware, is on loan from Hayes & Yeading United, a signing funded by YOU the fans, through our “12th Man” scheme.
As you come through the turnstiles on a matchday your first point of call is your programme seller, which you must know if your are reading this issue! Next is the “12th Man” table. Here you can donate any loose change, or even those bits of paper with the queen’s head on it, and every single penny is used to add to the budget set for Gavin Rose’s squad by the owners of the Club. You can also speak to Shaun or Neil, who run the independent, totally ring-fenced scheme, about paying direct from your bank account, using standing orders.
After that, on your right, is the Supporters Trust Megashed. Here you can not only join the Trust, thus strengthening the fans’ collective voice, but you can choose from an array of merchandise from t-shirts to scarves, badges to mugs..and so much more. All of the profit from their sales go to help: 50% of proceeds are donated directly to the Football Club over the season, with the other half going into Trust coffers. ‘Win-win’ all round!
And, lastly, just before you reach the main stand, you will see the “50/50 Draw” ticket seller. That does what it says on the tin. Half goes to the Club, and the other half is paid out to lucky ticket holder whose number is drawn out. Well most of it goes to the Club…on Saturday the Football Committee were more than happy to donate the proceeds at the game to the Calais Appeal, and thanks to your generosity & excellent salesmanship of loyal fan Michael Shaw an amazing £217.50 was handed over. On top of this, there was a substantial donation from the prize winner JO HALL to the Calais cause.
Thank you all once more, for showing your caring side & again displaying what a great set of fans we have.

Mishi D. Morath (Dulwich Hamlet Football Committee, Community Liaisons)