Derby County are to pay tribute to key workers across Derbyshire for the final nine matches of the 2019/20 Sky Bet Championship season.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw the season halted back in March and the EFL has given the green light for Championship action to resume, albeit behind closed doors.
Derby’s first game back in action will see them head to London to face Millwall at The Den on Saturday 20th June (1pm kick-off).
The back of the Rams’ shirts will proudly display the logo of Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity, and the shirts will be auctioned off at the end of the season to help raise funds for the charity.
Derby County’s Chief Executive Officer Stephen Pearce said: “We’re delighted to be showcasing the Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity logo on the back of our match shirts for the rest of the season.
"In addition to our Stay Safe. Stay Fit. Stay Connected initiative, we wanted to find another way to express gratitude and appreciation to key workers across our local community for the outstanding work that they have done, and continue to do, during the COVID-19 crisis, and help raise awareness and funds for the charity.”
Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity provide support for all the sites of the sites under the University of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, including Derby, Burton, Lichfield and Tamworth to provide the highest quality care to patients across southern Derbyshire and south east Staffordshire.
The NHS Trust aims to deliver outstanding care for local people and bring together the expertise of their 12,000 staff across the hospital sites.
The charity’s key aim is to help make patients’ lives better and the amazing donations and support from the local community enables the charity to help provide the extras that cannot be provided from NHS statutory funding but make a huge difference to patients and staff.
Tim Diggle, Director of Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity, said: “It was amazing to hear that Derby County wanted to feature us on their shirts and we are immensely proud to see our logo on the back of such a beloved part of the Derby community.
"It is inspiring to see, and we are so grateful to the club for wanting to say thank you to our fantastic NHS team.
"All of us have been touched by this pandemic in one way or another and to see the club work together with its local NHS lifts the heart.”
All the money raised goes back into the hospital, with 100% of the donation going to the charity, and those supporting Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity have the opportunity to truly support a ward or department close to their heart, as they have over 100 separate funds to choose from.
More details about Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity (Charity No.1061812) can be found at dbhc.org.uk
In addition, all players across the EFL will wear shirts featuring an ‘NHS Rainbow – Thank You’ emblem and a period of applause will take place prior to all matches from 18-21 June 2020, as clubs and players collectively display their gratitude for those working on the frontline.
Don’t forget you can see Derby
County return to action at Millwall LIVE on RamsTV from
12:30pm on Saturday afternoon. Sign up to RamsTV and purchase your
streaming pass here: dcfc.co.uk/page/ramstv.