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City turns Blue again for cancer fundraiser

A south-coast daily has resurrected its successful fundraising campaign a year after its local team won the FA Cup.

The News, in Portsmouth, launched ‘Blue Day’ in celebration of the fact that Portsmouth FC were travelling to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final and then later the final last year.

The Johnston Press daily organised events around the city with fans, staff and fundraisers clad in blue collecting cash for the Tom Prince Cancer Trust.

Around £80,000 was donated in memory of the 15-year-old Pompey fan who died of a rare bone cancer called osteosarcoma.

Despite Portsmouth FC not quite matching the same success on the field this season, The News held another ‘Blue Day’ to coincide with the final home game of the season on Monday night.

Thousands of people dressed up in blue, painted their faces and got into the party spirit with the event expected to have raised thousands of pounds.

Donations will go towards a target of £1m which Tom’s parents are collecting for research into osteosarcoma.

Assistant news editor Paul Foster said: “Last year the two Blue Days were an amazing success.

“We decided to hold it again this year and once again received amazing support from our readers.

“They really enjoyed dressing up in their Pompey tops while raising money for a worthwhile cause.”

For Blue Day, The News turned all of its headlines blue and on Tuesday it dedicated the first five pages to the occasion as well as an eight page picture supplement.

Editor Mark Waldron said: “It was another great achievement to pull our readers together again for such a good cause and the commitment from our staff in covering as many events on the day in words and pictures was fantastic.”

Comments

The Muse (22/05/2009 08:46:57)
The paper are still banned from the football club though! It’s been three-and-a-half months now I believe.

OLDsportshack (22/05/2009 17:20:54)
Have you seen the state of their press box, the worst in the PL by far. The News is best off reporting from the stand.