'You never know what memories are going to be made' - More than 100 free Wolves tickets donated to children, teachers and parents struggling with cost of living
School children have been donated tickets to Wolves' Carabao Cup tie with Everton by a charity committed to delivering sport to families struggling with the cost of living crisis.
As part of their, 'bring sport to every child' project, The Whistle Foundation have teamed up with the Wolves Foundation to provide 88 children and 41 adults with match tickets free of charge, all paid for by a floodlit cricket tournament fundraiser held in August.
Pupils from schools including Aldersley High, Moreton, Christ Church, St Peter's Academy and Tettenhall Wood, and local football clubs Wombourne All Stars and Dudley Sports will be able to watch the game alongside parents and teachers, many of whom would not be able to afford or access tickets without the help of the charity.
"A lot of children want to go and watch sport but aren't able to," Ajay Sharma, co-founder of The Whistle Foundation said. "That could be due to financial reasons, accessibility reasons or whatever it might be, so we're trying to bridge that gap.
"Wolves and the Wolves Foundation have been fantastic and have allowed us to build a real relationship with the community surrounding one of the biggest clubs in European football.
"It's a very ambitious project, but after the momentum we had off the back of the floodlit tournament we wanted to put a large percentage of the money from that fundraiser into a game to show we don't sit on these things.
"The most we've sent to a game before is about 30 people, so to quadruple the numbers this time for children and family when the cost of living is awful is amazing.
"We're at the point now where paying £5 for a child's ticket is a real consideration for families now, and it could decide when they get their next meal.
"To be able to alleviate that financial burden is huge, and really hits home for me as someone who grew up in the city.
"You never know what memories are going to be made at these games, and for us being able to help all children regardless of their background is something we'll move heaven and high water to make happen.
"The city needs more initiatives like this, and I'm delighted that The Whistle Foundation and Wolves can work closely together to further our reach.
"It's always been my dream to take my lad to football, and when he's older we'll have season tickets together hopefully, and I wish that for all families across our region."
Tom Warren, from the Wolves Foundation, said: "Part of our mission is to inspire and open doors for young people in Wolverhampton. Creating opportunities like this and working with partners like the Whistle Foundation to do so are perfect examples of that."
