Photo: L-R Emma Williamson - Cumbria County Councillor, Luke Johnston – Whitehaven AFC, Mike Starkie – Mayor of Copeland and bottom Left Sian Price – Artist.
Whitehaven AFC have shown their support for key workers and the 75th Anniversary of VE Day through various initiatives.
The club which is located off Coach Road in Whitehaven have had some artwork commissioned by local artist Sian Price which celebrates the club’s roots whilst giving support for the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. The piece has been erected at the bottom of their access road.
Luke Johnston from Whitehaven AFC said: “We had the idea to have some artwork commissioned when we had seen various other pieces cropping up across Whitehaven and surrounding areas. I put out a message and the name which kept popping up was ‘Sian Price Creative’. I contacted Sian and she was extremely keen to support us voluntarily. The piece focuses on us being a multigenerational football club with our roots linking back to the whole family!
Luke added “Sian is a fantastic and very talented artist. She has some amazing work and the ideas which she come up with never failed to amaze me.”
Sian Price, artist said: “I wanted to get involved to acknowledge what we are all going through at this period in time and to enhance our environment with bright and colourful imagery... thought provoking yet pleasant images to be seen by the public”
Mike Starkie, Mayor of Copeland said “Fantastic new sign, I am always pleased to promote the fantastic work done by Whitehaven Amateurs which serves Copeland as a real community hub”
Emma Williamson, Cumbria County Councillor and Armed Forces Champion said “I am really proud to be the armed forces champion for Cumbria County Council and its brilliant to see Whitehaven AFC honouring those that fought for our freedom and continue to protect us”
The club is also supporting Key Workers through a special key workers jersey and drill top. Luke Johnston from Whitehaven AFC said “We have worked with our kit provider, Direct Soccer to create a suitable design honouring what all the key workers have been doing for us through the Coronavirus outbreak. £3.50 from every sale will be donated by Direct Soccer to a local mental health charity. We are very keen to support mental health charities as a club as they are so important to everyone, even more so at times like this.”
The club has also joined the CALM initiative (Campaign Against Living Miserably). The CALM Football Collective brings together people who love the beautiful game, both playing it and watching it. It’s about positivity, generosity and reinforcement on and off the pitch. It’s for the fans. It’s for the players. It’s for football communities across the UK. We will be launching more on this soon.
Anyone interested in purchasing the key worker items can go to:
Find our more about Sians work by going to her Sian Price Creative page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sianpricecreative/