It may be summer here in London but that’s not stopping the Wandsworth Demons doing their part in fundraising for the now annual, ‘Big Freeze at the G’ happening over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in Australia.

The ‘Big Freeze’ is the initiative of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) sufferer and former AFL legend, Neale Daniher. The event takes at the Queen’s Birthday clash between the Melbourne Demons and Collingwood Magpies. It sees well-known footy celebs and personalities rally together and take the plunge in a freezing cold pool of ice to raise funds and awareness for the currently incurable MND.

Notable footy celebrities to get frozen this year include, Geelong Premiership Captain Cameron Ling, Essendon and GWS legend Coach Kevin Sheedy, and Brisbane Lions superstar, Jonathon Brown just to name a few. Let’s not forget the headline act, Neale Daniher, will be taking the plunge this year. Daniher, the ex-Essendon and Melbourne player and coach, was diagnosed with MND three years ago and is slowly showing the debilitating effects the disease, such as speech impediment and movement loss, can have on the sufferer.

This Saturday AFL London’s version of the Demons, The Wandsworth Demons, will not only be hosting the West London Wildcats in a top of the table clash at Clapham Common, but they’ll also be putting in their best efforts off the field aiming to raise funds and awareness for the incredibly debilitating disease that is MND.

MND is close to the heart of event organiser, Gaby Duncan, who grew up with the Daniher family and is thrilled to be able to mirror the fundraising efforts of the ‘Big Freeze at the G’ whilst over the other side of the world, here in London. Ms Duncan said “It means a lot that I can continue to help raise some much needed funds for research into finding a cure of MND, as well as support my close friends Loz, Bec and the Daniher family. I’m very thankful of the Demons and Club President Jimmy Perrett, who was fantastic and jumped on board as soon as we suggested the idea. Hopefully we can start something this year that will get bigger and better next year to help ‘Cure for MND’ achieve its aim to increase awareness, improve care for sufferers and increase funding to find a cure”.

Wandsworth Demons Club President, Jimmy Perrett furthered Ms Duncan’s sentiments saying “this cause is one that is quite personal to many Demons, including myself. We’re getting together on Saturday to do our part for the ‘Cure for MND’ Foundation, not only to raise funds for such a great cause but also raise awareness throughout the London AFL league. This may start small, but it has the scope to grow into something big in the years to come”.

With hats, beanies, a cake sale and raffles, including a signed GWS Jumper, the day is set to be an absolute blast. With the event running in conjunction with the first game at Clapham Common for Season 2016 expect this to be a special day. If you’re in the area and want to be a part of not only a great, action-packed day of Aussie Rules, but also aid the efforts of Neale Daniher, and the ‘Big Freeze at the G’, then make your way down to Clapham Common this Saturday the 11^th of June from 11am.

Any help or donations are greatly appreciated and supports in raising the profile of MND as well as assisting in finding a cure.

For further information, please click the link below, or if you’d like to help out on the day please contact Jimmy Perrett at demonspresident@outlook.com.

For more about Freeze MND click here.

Benjamin Durance