Last night’s game against Bradford City marked the first time the generosity of Wednesday supporters (more than £83,000 donated) was turned into opportunities, experiences and memories for people across our community.

We have previously explained how the money would be used. Now, we can show the true scale of what Wednesdayites have made possible.

The impact in numbers

  • More than £83,000 raised
  • 205 season tickets secured, creating 4,175 individual match-ticket opportunities across the season
  • 23 mascot packages secured
  • 100 junior replica shirts secured
  • 24 schools, supporters’ groups and community organisations involved in the first fixture

Behind every one of those figures is a person: a child attending Hillsborough for the first time, a family able to enjoy a match together or a supporter who might otherwise have been watching from home.

That is the real impact of this initiative.

205 season tickets. 4,175 opportunities.

The 205 season tickets secured through the initiative will be allocated mainly on a game-by-game basis, creating 4,175 individual opportunities to attend Hillsborough across the season.

This approach means the generosity of our supporters can reach thousands of people, rather than the tickets remaining with the same individuals for the entire campaign.

We are already working with 18 schools, many of which were able to allocate tickets to their pupils ahead of the Bradford fixture:

  • Stocksbridge High School
  • Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School
  • Aldine House Secure Children’s Home School
  • Mercia Northridge School (Chaucer)
  • Southey Green Primary School
  • Parkwood Academy
  • Angram Bank Primary School
  • High Green Primary School
  • Hillsborough Primary School
  • Meynell Primary School
  • The Willows School
  • Forge Valley School
  • Deepcar St John’s CE Junior School
  • Pye Bank CE Primary School
  • Royd Nursery Infant School
  • Marlcliffe Community Primary School
  • Yewlands Academy
  • Monteney Primary School

We are also working with six community organisations and recognised supporters’ groups:

  • Rainbow Owls
  • Sheffield Owls Disabled Association
  • Armed Forces Owls
  • Wise Old Owls
  • SWFC Women’s Supporters Group
  • Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme

These organisations are helping us place tickets into the hands of people who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to be there.

For some, it may have been their first visit to Hillsborough. For others, it may have been a rare chance to return. For every recipient, it was an opportunity to feel part of the Wednesday family.

A small number of school season tickets are still available. Please email [email protected].

Olivia McGuinness, SWST Chair of Projects, Campaigns and Supporter Initiatives, said:

“The incredible generosity of our fans has already made, and will continue to make, a real difference to fellow supporters throughout the season. Hearing such positive feedback from those who attended last night has made all the hard work worthwhile, and we can’t wait to welcome more fans and create new experiences and memories throughout the season.”

Twenty-three unforgettable experiences

We have secured 23 mascot packages, with Jamie Larner-Newton becoming the first young mascot to benefit from the initiative at the Bradford fixture.

The packages have been offered to children facing difficult circumstances or financial barriers, as well as young supporters whose courage, resilience or personal stories deserve to be recognised.

Walking out at Hillsborough as a Wednesday mascot is the kind of experience a child never forgets. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, 23 children and their families can now create those memories together.

We hope Jamie and his family had a wonderful evening and made memories at Hillsborough that will last a lifetime.

One hundred Wednesday shirts

The initiative has also secured 100 replica shirts in a range of junior sizes. They will be gifted to children facing difficult circumstances or whose families might not otherwise be able to afford one. A proportion will also go to young Wednesdayites receiving care at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, giving them something to smile about during a difficult time.

A football shirt might seem like a simple gift. To a child, however, it can mean identity, pride and belonging. It tells them they are part of something and that their football club and fellow supporters are thinking of them.

Made possible through partnership

None of this would have been possible without the support and cooperation of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club.

We want to place on record our enormous thanks to everyone at the club who has worked alongside the Trust to turn supporters' generosity into something meaningful. From securing the tickets, mascot packages and junior shirts to coordinating their use, this has been a genuine partnership built around helping Wednesdayites and the wider community.

That partnership carries particular significance given the club’s recent history.
For too long, many supporters felt distant from their own football club. The relationship between the club and its fanbase had become strained, and opportunities for meaningful collaboration were limited.
What we are seeing now represents a vital change.

Jake Lee, Vice-Chair of Sheffield Wednesday Supporters’ Trust, said:

“Not too long ago, we were organising large-scale displays in protest against the former owner. Now, we’re working alongside Sheffield Wednesday to help deliver projects that celebrate our club. That change means more than I can put into words and symbolises how far we’ve come as a fanbase together again and a football club that finally feels like ours.”

This is what Wednesday means

More than £83,000 was raised because Wednesday supporters looked beyond themselves and chose to help someone else.

They chose to help a child receive their first Wednesday shirt. They chose to give a family the chance to attend Hillsborough together. They chose to create unforgettable mascot experiences and open the gates of our stadium to people who might otherwise have missed out.

Last night was the first time we saw that generosity come to life, but it was only the beginning.

This initiative shows what Sheffield Wednesday supporters can achieve when we come together: not simply raising money, but creating opportunities, spreading kindness and ensuring more people feel that they belong.

To everyone who donated, shared the fundraiser, or helped us reach those who would benefit: thank you.

You have not simply funded tickets, shirts and experiences.

You have helped people feel part of Wednesday.

Volunteers supporting the North Stand display

Separately from the community initiative, 32 Trust volunteers joined us at Hillsborough to assist with the logistics of the spectacular 40m × 15m crowd-surfer displayed in the North Stand.

Handling a flag of that size and ensuring it was successfully deployed and brought back down safely required significant coordination, time and effort.

The display may have lasted only a matter of minutes, but making it happen relied on supporters being willing to give up their time and working together.

Jake Lee added: “The scale of the logistics behind these sorts of displays cannot be underestimated, nor can our reliance on the fantastic volunteers who gave their time to help make it happen. They deserve our enormous thanks. At the next home league fixture, we’ll proudly unveil a second flag on the Kop, continuing what promises to be a special new chapter at Hillsborough.”

We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to all 32 volunteers. Your help was invaluable and played an important part in delivering a memorable display safely and successfully.

Nothing Is Insurmountable