For a second successive
season, The National League has once again changed its competition name on a
The League's sponsors
and long-time supporters of Prostate Cancer UK, Vanarama, have again agreed to
use their sponsorship in support of the leading men's health charity until
November 9th. Last year, the MANarama campaign raised over £150,000 to help stop prostate cancer being a killer and earned a host of industry awards.
The rebranding to
MANarama features a change of competition logo for each division and will help
draw attention to the fact that every forty-five minutes a man dies from
prostate cancer.Vinnie Jones, renowned
football hardman and former Wealdstone midfielder, has also been signed up by
Vanarama to support the campaign as an ambassador this year.Jones met Prostate
Cancer UK ambassadors Kevin Webber and Errol McKellar on Tuesday afternoon, two
men affected by the disease, who will play a key role in the campaign.Saturday's clash between
Dover Athletic and FC Halifax Town on BT Sport will be the featured match of
the MANarama opening weekend. Starting today, Webber
will be walking from Bromley FC to Saturday's match at Crabble. Webber will be
a familiar face to BT Sport viewers after delivering the match ball on the
final day of the MANarama campaign in October 2018, at Halifax.Commenting on the
rebrand, The National League's Chief Executive Officer, Michael Tattersall,
said: “We were extremely pleased with the reaction to our temporary – and
historic - rebranding to the MANarama National League during the 2018/19
campaign. It was fantastic to see so much money and awareness raised to aid the
fight against prostate cancer.“We are proud this willbe taking place over a 45-day period for a second season.
“Prostate Cancer UK are
our official charity partners and we couldn't think of a charity that better
reflects our football values.“This deadly disease has
no boundaries, so it's been incredibly inspiring to see Kevin Webber raise so
much awareness. He's a remarkable man doing remarkable things and we will
continue to stand alongside him, and everyone affected by prostate cancer.”MANarama ambassador
Vinnie Jones said: “I am beyond proud to back this MANarama campaign. It
combines two things which are so important to me; grassroots football and
fighting cancer. “I started playing
football in Non-League so I know that these clubs are at the heart of local
communities. I don't need to explain why the fight against cancer is so
important for me.“Non-League football is
proper football and I'd urge all Non-League clubs and all the proper supporters
out there to raise some proper money for this brilliant cause.”Prostate Cancer UK Chief
Executive, Angela Culhane, added: “Last year's brilliant MANarama campaign
really caught the imagination and we're delighted to strengthen our
long-standing relationship with Vanarama ahead of another exciting few months.“Money raised will help us fund more ground-breaking research and find the tools needed for a screening programme, in order to catch more prostate cancers early and save more lives.”