Thai-sponsored Everton opens relief fund

Officials at Everton Football Club opened a disaster relief fund today to help the victims of the tsunami disaster.

The Premiership club is sponsored by one of Thailand’s main brewers, Chang.

The club appealed for other football teams to join them in their bid to raise money to help the devastated region.

Everton FC chief executive Keith Wyness said: “The reason we’re doing this is because we are the only Premiership club with a sponsor in that part of the world.

“We’ve been in touch with Chang and they’re working on the ground already and doing a lot of things to assist in that area. We want to work with them and do whatever we can to help.

“We will be contacting the other Premiership clubs and, if they feel it’s appropriate to help us by donating to the fund, we will give them a vehicle to donate to our fund because we have the people on the ground who can actually make a difference in the area.

“Fans from our club and others can assist by doing any of their own fundraising in order to help the victims in Thailand, which has the biggest death toll of Brits in all the affected areas.”

The club has opened a designated bank account at Barclays. Anybody wishing to donate money to the fund can visit any branch, quoting sort code 20-10-84 and account number 90344907 and pay into the fund by cash or cheque.

Cheques, made payable to The Asian Disaster Fund, will also be accepted by post to Asian Disaster Fund, Goodison Park, Liverpool, L4 4EL, and there will be a collection prior to next Tuesday’s home game with Portsmouth.