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Demons ‘Freeze MND on the C’

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With the 3rd annual ‘Big Freeze at the G’ approaching in Melbourne this Monday, AFL London team, the Wandsworth Demons, will be putting on a ‘Freeze the C’ fundraiser this Saturday during their fixtures against rivals, the West London Wildcats.

The two sides round 1 encounter was a typically thrilling contest between the two foundation clubs and Saturday will be no different.

The match, which takes place at Clapham Common, will host a variety of fundraisers, such as, a bake sale and a silent auction, as well as having Cure for MND merchandise available to purchase. All proceeds from the Demon’s fundraiser will be donated to the Cure for MND Foundation, which aims to cure MND as well as raising awareness and supporting sufferers of Motor Neurone Disease. With close to £1000 already raised they’ll be hoping to exceed the funds raised in 2016.

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a disease which compromises the nerve cells within the body and impacts the use of muscles that control movement, speech, and functions including swallowing and breathing. The muscles waste away due to lack of use and the sufferer eventually passes away.

President of the Wandsworth Demons, Jimmy Perrett, was again quick to jump on board in support of this great fundraiser. Perrett, like too many others, has a personal connection to MND, with his nan sadly passing away when he was just five years old. “Motor Neurone Disease was as big a mystery then as what it is today. I never fully understood what had happened to my Nan while I was growing up and its only in the last few years I’ve learned more of the disease and what it’s capable of. A perfectly functioning mind trapped in a body that simply stops functioning is painful to watch, even to a five year old. If I can do my part to find that cure, then so many people will be able to have a lifetime of memories shared and grow old the way my Nan deserved to.”

With the disease affecting several friends and family members of people at the club and the greater AFL London Community, the Demons are keen to be involved and raise as much money as possible to support the Cure for MND Foundation in finding a cure for the terrible disease.

This year’s ‘Freeze the G’ takes place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the Queen’s Birthday Holiday and will see some of Australia’s biggest sports stars sliding into a freezing pool of ice prior to Melbourne Demons match against the Collingwood Magpies. Some of this year’s celebrities being ‘frozen’ include Lleyton Hewitt, Steve Hooker, Alisa Camplin, Sharelle McMahon and Andrew Gaze.

FightMND Patron, Neale Daniher, who initiated the ‘Big Freeze’ three years ago, will be leading a “Walk to the G” event in Federation Square. This invites all AFL followers and MND supporters to join Neale, and a variety of special guest speakers, in Federation Square as part of the fundraising efforts. Since being diagnosed with MND in 2013, Daniher has begun to show the physical signs of this terrible disease such as muscle deterioration and difficulty speaking but continues to help support and host the event and has contributed massively to the success of Fight MND – the charity supported by the Big Freeze each year.

Be sure to stop in on Saturday if you’re in the area to support the Cure for MND Foundation and enjoy the amazing atmosphere of AFL London footy while you’re at it.

Demons set to ‘Freeze the Common’ in Cure for MND

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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 11th 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.

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For more about Freeze MND click here.

 

 

Benjamin Durance