West Ham United will donate close to £60,000 to the NHS and Air Ambulances UK charities following an auction of match-worn items from their recent Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The auction, which took place following Michail Antonio’s road traffic accident, will see the proceeds equally split between the NHS and Air Ambulances UK Charity, the national charity supporting the lifesaving work of the UK’s Air Ambulance charities.
The Club auctioned off walk-out tops, signed by every member of the squad, including Michail. Additionally, every match-worn shirt from the win over Wolves was also auctioned, each signed by their respective squad member.
The auction fetched £29,613 which was subsequently matched by the Club’s board, with a final total of £59,226 for two outstanding causes that perform life-saving work all year round.
The highest-performing items saw captain and match-winner Jarrod Bowen’s match-worn shirt raise £3,005, leaving the winner with a collector's item to treasure. Bowen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s warm-up tops, both signed by the entire Hammers squad including Antonio, secured £1,050 each.
All auction winners will be contacted by the Club in the New Year regarding delivery of their item(s).
Bowen said: “It’s been special to see the West Ham family and the wider football community come together in support of Michail over the last month.
“We are all grateful for the care that both the NHS and Air Ambulances UK have given to Michail during a challenging time for him and his family, and for what they continue to do every single day for people around the country.
“Pulling together during difficult times is what being a part of West Ham United is all about and on behalf of the team, I want to thank everyone for helping us to raise an incredible amount of money for two great causes.”
Everyone at the Club would like to reiterate their heartfelt thanks to the first responders, emergency services, air ambulance staff and the NHS for the incredible support given to Michail in the wake of the accident.
Click HERE to find out more about NHS Charities Together, and HERE for more about Air Ambulances UK.
