Simon Adingra and Carlos Baleba met families at a disability football family fun day run by the Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation and sponsored by SnickersUK.com.
Around 50 people, including participants in our disability football programme alongside their family members, were invited down to the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre where youngsters, along with their family and friends, took part in a series of fun drills and small-sided games with the two Albion stars.
The event was made possible thanks to SnickersUK, who are big supporters of both the club and the Foundation, as well as the Albion Wish campaign.
Chris Ruff, Managing Director of SnickersUK, said, “It was a fantastic day. The smiles on the faces of all in attendance makes me feel that everyone enjoyed it.
“We first got involved in the Christmas Wish in 2023 and this year it has been taken to another level.
“My business partner Zoe’s brother had muscular dystrophy and my sister's son was born deaf and blind, and sadly passed away very young so it was very important to me to try and make memories.
“It is a fantastic initiative, and the stories are really moving. You can see the impact on people's faces when we are able to provide them with a moment of joy.”
This season Albion Wish provided never-to-be-forgotten football experiences for Albion fans who had done something incredible for charity or are suffering from a challenging period in their lives due to ill health.
Albion fan Tommy, who has Sanfilippo Syndrome, and his family met the squad at the club’s annual photo shoot while another young fan Lucas had to flee an abusive household with his mother when younger. Together with his friend Hugo, he has been collecting Christmas calendars for the Brighton refugee centre to gift children who grew up in a similar situation and collected 250 calendars last year. They were given a tour of the training ground and met Jason Steele, Julio Enciso and Roberto De Zerbi.
Mark, who has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and his wife Carly enjoyed the matchday of a lifetime in the Tunnel Club with American Express providing the tickets while a father and son had a memorable experience at the Spurs game. And Harry Lovett, who had a cardiac arrest aged seven was a special guest at the Nottingham Forest match.