On Sunday, a Leicester City tradition returns to King Power Stadium for its final instalment – as Alan ‘The Birch’ Birchenall embarks on his 40th Annual End of Season Run in aid of Leicester Hospitals Charity’s Neonatal Incubator Appeal.
Southampton are the visitors to Filbert Way for a 4pm kick-off on the final day of the Premier League campaign. And the Birch, who has raised millions over the years, will conclude his heroic efforts with a gruelling 90-minute run around the iconic turf.
Launched by the Birch in the early 1980s – and curtailed over recent years by the COVID-19 pandemic – the previous 39 runs have enabled our much-loved Club Ambassador to raise over £1M, with more than 100 local charities benefiting from that money over the years.
The Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Foundation donated all funds raised throughout April to the Neonatal Incubator Appeal, which specialises in care of babies in the first 28 days of their life and who have either been born early, have low weight or who have a medical condition that requires specialised treatment.
They wish to replace older incubators and upgrade them with the very latest model that encompasses state of the art technology to give babies the best chance of survival.
Speaking ahead of what promises to be a special occasion at King Power Stadium, the Birch said: “The generosity of the Blue Army never fails to amaze me. I’m so grateful for every single penny we have raised over the past four decades. It’s a difficult time, with everybody at the moment feeling a squeeze, but if you can give anything this Sunday, it would mean the world. It makes such an enormous difference to the lives of people in need.
“Since we renamed the Foundation in the Boss’ honour, we have continued to dedicate ourselves to his magical legacy in the city of Leicester and the county as a whole. Everybody at the Club is committed to building on that special bond forged between the Club and the people of this magnificent region.”
If you would like to volunteer as a bucket collector for the day, please contact Louise.Hollingsworth@lcfc.co.uk for further details.
To donate to the Birch’s 40th Annual End of Season Run in aid of Leicester Hospitals Charity’s Neonatal Incubator Appeal, please use the methods below.
TEXT: BIRCH40RUN followed by your donation amount to 70450 to give that amount.
ONLINE: LCFC.com/birch40
IN PERSON: Donate on the day of the match against Southampton.
