Post by Kev Panther on May 22, 2016 16:56:38 GMT
Mark Lund’s collection of football shirts, scarves and flags stretches over more than three miles when tied together, so to call that memorabilia haul impressive is probably an understatement.
The reason he collects the items is to raise awareness for the life-limiting condition his eight-year-old son Alfie has been diagnosed with and his efforts have now been recognised with a national award.
Mark was at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge on Wednesday afternoon where he collected the SCL Unsung Hero award at The Non-League Paper’s National Game Awards in association with The NLFA.
Alfie suffers from a rare genetic disorder known as MECP2 Duplication Syndrome which means he cannot walk or talk and he also has profound learning difficulties.
It was only discovered in 2005 and when Alfie was diagnosed, he was only the seventh child in the UK to have it.
Mark takes his son to Skelmersdale United every week but also to watch games from the lower reaches of the Non-League to the Premier League – taking donations from fans of shirts, scarves and flags while displaying a section of their football chain.
And when they started the idea two years ago, Mark acknowledges he had no idea how far it, and the Alfie Lund Fund, would come.
Mark and Alfie Lund
“It’s amazing to have won the Unsung Hero award. I started this off two seasons ago – we’ve been to 68 grounds raising awareness for my son who has a life-limiting disorder,” he explained.
“He can’t walk or talk and it has just been amazing going to all these grounds with all the supporters who have supported us by donating shirts, scarves and flags.
“It’s very humbling to see that amount of support. We started off in our local park, so to get to Stamford Bridge and win an award – it doesn’t get much better than that.
“I asked supporters to donate a shirt, a scarf or a flag and we tie them all together to help raise awareness for MECP2 UK.
“It is over three miles long now with donations from the Non-League, Football League and all over the world.
“We have supporters over in the Bundesliga and it has just grown and grown and grown. I never thought it would get to this.”
Mark was nominated for the SCL Unsung Hero award by Kev Panther at Skelmersdale – where Alfie has his own advertising board.
The eventual aim is to auction off the memorabilia with the hope of raising more than £10,000.
“When we stop it will all be sold on at an affordable price at Non-League clubs,” added Mark.
“The majority of the money will go to MECP2 UK but hopefully one pound of every sale will go back into Non-League which has helped us immensely.
“There has been a lot of tears along the way and my son actually developed epilepsy and bouts of pneumonia. We’ve had to fight through that, carry on, pick ourselves up and we go again. This award is for Alfie.”
Mark said " I was stopped in Tesco and a woman said to me well done to Skelmersdale United for all there backing, it was a honour to be there and we will always promote the club wherever we go many thanks for all your help and support"
A Hearty congratulations from all at Skelmersdale United, you certainly deserve it for all your time effort and dedication you have put in over the last few seasons, its been a pleasure to have you on board at Skem and the Flags and scarves have certainly made an impression on both the home support and visiting fans
Well Done
The reason he collects the items is to raise awareness for the life-limiting condition his eight-year-old son Alfie has been diagnosed with and his efforts have now been recognised with a national award.
Mark was at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge on Wednesday afternoon where he collected the SCL Unsung Hero award at The Non-League Paper’s National Game Awards in association with The NLFA.
Alfie suffers from a rare genetic disorder known as MECP2 Duplication Syndrome which means he cannot walk or talk and he also has profound learning difficulties.
It was only discovered in 2005 and when Alfie was diagnosed, he was only the seventh child in the UK to have it.
Mark takes his son to Skelmersdale United every week but also to watch games from the lower reaches of the Non-League to the Premier League – taking donations from fans of shirts, scarves and flags while displaying a section of their football chain.
And when they started the idea two years ago, Mark acknowledges he had no idea how far it, and the Alfie Lund Fund, would come.
Mark and Alfie Lund
“It’s amazing to have won the Unsung Hero award. I started this off two seasons ago – we’ve been to 68 grounds raising awareness for my son who has a life-limiting disorder,” he explained.
“He can’t walk or talk and it has just been amazing going to all these grounds with all the supporters who have supported us by donating shirts, scarves and flags.
“It’s very humbling to see that amount of support. We started off in our local park, so to get to Stamford Bridge and win an award – it doesn’t get much better than that.
“I asked supporters to donate a shirt, a scarf or a flag and we tie them all together to help raise awareness for MECP2 UK.
“It is over three miles long now with donations from the Non-League, Football League and all over the world.
“We have supporters over in the Bundesliga and it has just grown and grown and grown. I never thought it would get to this.”
Mark was nominated for the SCL Unsung Hero award by Kev Panther at Skelmersdale – where Alfie has his own advertising board.
The eventual aim is to auction off the memorabilia with the hope of raising more than £10,000.
“When we stop it will all be sold on at an affordable price at Non-League clubs,” added Mark.
“The majority of the money will go to MECP2 UK but hopefully one pound of every sale will go back into Non-League which has helped us immensely.
“There has been a lot of tears along the way and my son actually developed epilepsy and bouts of pneumonia. We’ve had to fight through that, carry on, pick ourselves up and we go again. This award is for Alfie.”
Mark said " I was stopped in Tesco and a woman said to me well done to Skelmersdale United for all there backing, it was a honour to be there and we will always promote the club wherever we go many thanks for all your help and support"
A Hearty congratulations from all at Skelmersdale United, you certainly deserve it for all your time effort and dedication you have put in over the last few seasons, its been a pleasure to have you on board at Skem and the Flags and scarves have certainly made an impression on both the home support and visiting fans
Well Done
