Footballers given £5k surprise by restaurant

DONATION TO HELP CLUB AID ITS PLAYERS IN LOCKDOWN

A FOOTBALL club bagged a surprise donation from a restaurant players dined in to help it secure a £10,000 windfall.

Nirvana Football Club, which is run by volunteers, started a crowdfunding campaign to support its young players through the pandemic and prepare them for a safe return to the game.

Sport England pledged a £10,000 donation, providing the club could reach a quarter of its £20,000 goal.

That is when Efes Mangal, in Braunstone Gate, Leicester, unexpectedly donated £5,000 to the cause.

Nirvana FC chairman Zak Hajat said: “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

Having no affiliation to the club, the restaurant owner only knew them from seeing club members dine there.

Nirvana FC, in Hamilton, has now amassed more than £16,000.

On its fund-raising page the club said lockdown was having an adverse impact on the mental health of some young members, with increased loneliness and increased pressure to engage with gangs.

“We want to use football as a vehicle to empower,” Zak said.

Efes Mangal manager Ali Ahmed said his boss is “very generous” and suggested they make the donation after becoming aware of the campaign.

“When he saw it he just thought that we should do something. He said it’s always nice when they come in to eat.

The restaurant closed due to the pandemic but continued to run as a takeaway business and has provided free meals for hospital workers, as well as offering a 50 per cent discount for NHS staff.

Nirvana FC is putting together Covid19 packs for all the children involved, including water bottles and bibs and is delivering online football training and supporting parents’ and children’s wellbeing.

You can find out more about the campaign and help the team at: