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Prostate Cancer UK have teamed up with Southend United to become the official shirt sponsor of the League One club.

The Essex outfit will sport the logo of the leading men’s health charity on their home and away strips in the 2018/19 season as part of the new partnership which was announced via a short kit launch video.

 

 

Shrimpers boss Chris Powell is no stranger of the work of Prostate Cancer UK, having worked with the charity for more than five years.

 

As well as proudly sporting the Prostate Cancer UK ‘Man of Men’ pin badge on touchlines across the touchline in his current role, and at Charlton Athletic and Derby County, the former England left-back, who has seen several friends and loved ones affected by the disease, ran the Virgin Money London Marathon for Prostate Cancer UK in April.

 

One of a team of 180, and helping highlighting the startling statistic that one in four black men will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime, Powell proudly wore the iconic blue and black colours, raising more than £14,000 after completing the fabled 26.2-mile course.

 

Southend have worked closely with the charity for several years, holding a series of matchday collections and 16 Shrimpers staff and supporters have taken part in the Football to Amsterdam bike ride, five of whom on three occasions, with more than £45,000 raised.

 

Prostate Cancer UK Chief Executive Angela Culhane said: “We’re delighted to team up with Southend United for the 2018/19 season and it’s really exciting to see our logo across the club’s home and away shirts for this coming campaign.

 

“Southend have long supported the work of Prostate Cancer UK during our EFL partnership, hosting matchday collections and encouraging riders to join the Football to Amsterdam bike ride.

 

“Their manager Chris Powell has been a great supporter of ours for quite some time and this year raised more than £14,000 and a tremendous amount of awareness by running the London Marathon. It was a pleasure to walk with Chris during one of Jeff Stelling’s Marches and I know how passionate he is about our work.

 

“This partnership extends our footprint in football, and proves again the power the beautiful game can have in shaping real change. It will help us make sure the messages about prostate cancer continue to ring loud for the football community, with all at Southend United playing their part in making prostate cancer a disease the next generation of men need not fear.”

 

Powell said: “I’ve worked with Prostate Cancer UK for more than six years now and it’s brilliant that they are partnering up with us this year. When I saw the ‘Man of Men’ logo on the shirt it struck a real chord with me, because this is a massive moment with regards to having Prostate Cancer UK on the front of our football shirts.

 

“When I see the players wearing it for the first time that’s going to be a special moment. And seeing the fans walking around with it, it will be brilliant, because it’s something that affects all men of all different backgrounds, especially with black men, like myself, with one in four being affected.

 

“We will definitely save lives in this neck of the woods, and we will be the bearers of knowledge for prostate cancer in Essex. Just for having Prostate Cancer UK on the shirt, having messages in the programme and stories of people that have survived. And also for us, as a club, putting it out there on a regular basis, exactly what this disease is about.

 

“I always wear my badge, but now the team will be wearing shirts with it on. It’s a really proud moment for us, and I think for Southend United, as a whole, and the county of Essex and beyond that, that we are now letting people know about prostate cancer. Its brilliant.”

 

Many people are unaware that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It’s a huge issue that cannot be ignored. In 2018 one man every 45 minutes will die from prostate cancer in the UK. That’s more than 11,000 men this year. Based on current trends, if we ignore prostate cancer and do nothing, this number will rise to over 14,500 men a year by 2026.

 

To find out more information about Prostate Cancer UK’s work in football go to: www.prostatecanceruk.org/football