Little Mix star teams up with South Shields FC for limited edition shirt
All funds from the T-shirt will go to local charity Cancer Connections
Little Mix superstar Jade Thirlwall has teamed up with a renowned designer in an exciting collaboration to create a limited edition community shirt for South Shields FC for a charity campaign.
Jade, the club’s honorary president, worked with North East illustrator and designer James Dixon to devise the shirt, to raise money for Cancer Connections.
All profits raised through sales of the item will be donated by the club to the charity, of which Jade is a long-term supporter and patron.
Cancer Connections is a South Shields based charity that provides advice and support to cancer patients, carers and families with the aim of making the turbulent journey a little easier for everyone involved.
"We want to positively impact people's lives"
Club chairman Geoff Thompson said: “We hope to build on the rich history of our great club and strive to create something really special for the town and everyone connected.
“The success of our football club stretches far beyond simply winning on a Saturday.
“We want to positively impact people’s lives, by offering hope and excitement through our vision.
“We strive to create an environment where people feel they belong and we want to support and champion the ongoing great work of others across the town.
“This community shirt was the brainchild of our president, Jade Thirlwall, who wanted to work with local people to celebrate the town and in doing so will raise essential money for a local charity close to her heart.
“When the idea first sparked we expressed our delight to be involved.”
The club’s players wore the shirt ahead of Wednesday’s game against Sunderland’s Under-23s at 1st Cloud Arena, with Jade’s nephew Karl walking the team out as mascot.
Jade said: “Creating the Limited Edition Community Shirt for South Shields FC has been incredibly special for me.
“As honorary president of the club, I believe my role is to use my platform to put the club and South Shields on the map and show the world how proud we are as a town and community. The shirt reflects that very notion.
“With the proceeds going directly to local charity Cancer Connections, this is a shirt which every fan can wear with absolute pride knowing that by doing so they will be helping someone locally who is struggling with the devastating impact of cancer.
“Together we’ve created a shirt that really captures South Shields and its community spirit - using the club’s signature colours in the artwork we incorporated many of the town’s landmarks and things we are most proud of.
“Support South Shields FC, support the town, and wear this Limited Edition shirt with pride!”
Local artist, James Dixon, hopes this collaboration with the Little Mix star will be the start of long-lasting relationship with the town and the football club.
He said: “We both saw it as an opportunity to shout about the landmarks and the people, and how we can grow together as one.
“I urge everyone to shout about it, and hope kids, teenagers, all the lads and lasses local to the area, and all the Sanddancers far and wide wear this shirt with great pride.”
Founded in 2006, Cancer Connections has become a well established part of the South Shields community, helping hundreds of people that are battling cancer and their families.
The charity recognises the importance of building and maintaining a close community of support for anyone affected by the disease.
Charity manager Deborah Roberts said: “It’s amazing that the football club is prepared to donate all of the profits from the sales of this brilliant shirt to the charity.
“As all charities have found, it has been extremely difficult for us to raise funds in the ways we usually would during the pandemic, so to be boosted by an initiative like this is a huge blessing.
“Jade is an incredible patron for our charity and ambassador for the football club and town of South Shields. This is just the latest example of the remarkable support she provides us.
“Anyone who buys this shirt will directly help us serve individuals and families suffering from cancer and its after-effects.
“We’re proud to be associated with this campaign and can’t wait to see lots of people wearing the shirt in South Shields and beyond.”
The shirt will be available to buy from 4pm on Friday 29th October and will be priced at £32 for children and £38 for adults.
Artist James Dixon and Little Mix's Jade Thirlwall
The limited edition community shirt goes on sale at 4pm on 29th October 2021
All proceeds from the T-shirt will go to Cancer Connections
South Shields FC players Jack Bodenham and Cedric Main in the limited edition shirt
James Dixon and Jade Thirlwall hope locals will wear the T-Shirt with pride