Sometimes, things happen that show you just how powerful a community can be. Dave Roberts, founder of the Arsenal Shirt Collectors Facebook group, has led a remarkable fundraising campaign for CYP. For the past year, Dave along with the Arsenal Shirt Collectors community have fundraised almost £20,000, with a specific focus on renovating our music studio. Our studio, in desperate need of renovation to accommodate the growing demand for music among our members, is now undergoing a transformation thanks to Dave and the group’s generosity.

Through encouraging members to “donate the price of a coffee” and donating proceeds from shirt auctions, they have gone above and beyond to support our cause. Their contributions have been instrumental in modernising our studio, and the before and after photos of the construction of our temporary recording booth speak for themselves!

In Dave’s own words, “This charity means so much to me, and it’s a charity important enough to be included by Arsenal and Adidas in the No More Red campaign. Being a North Londoner with links to the area and having seen what they do, I can’t stress enough how important every £1 is to changing the lives of young people who live in the shadow of our great club.”

Dave’s dedication goes beyond fundraising; it embodies a deep understanding of the complex issues facing young people today. He went on to say, “The reasons behind knife crime and post code wars are complex, and I’m not smart enough to tell you the solutions. But, I do know that giving opportunities to young people can keep them away from this everyday danger. This music studio will unlock the unreal talent in these young people in the same way sport does.”

Thanks to Dave and the generosity of the Arsenal Shirt Collectors group, CYP has been able to provide music creation and recording sessions to 18 young people, with plans to expand our music programmes to even more local youth. Their support shows the power of community. So, thank you, Dave, and thank you to the entire Arsenal Shirt Collectors community for your sheer dedication to our cause!

Dave’s fundraiser continues to make a profound impact on our charity. If you’d like to donate to Dave’s fundraiser, please click here.