Young Bradford City FC fan from Morecambe raises £2,750 for charity

A young football fanatic has raised £2,750 for a charity close to her heart.
Georgia Thornton with the ribbons she has been selling for charity.Georgia Thornton with the ribbons she has been selling for charity.
Georgia Thornton with the ribbons she has been selling for charity.

Heysham High School pupil Georgia Thornton was a special guest at Bradford City’s home game on Saturday, where she presented a cheque for her fundraising efforts to the head of Bradford Burns Unit.

Georgia, 11, is a massive Bradford City fan, and after losing her nanna Sue after a short illness last November she decided to do something in her memory.

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She came up with the idea of making claret and amber ribbons, as her nanna was a big Bradford City fan like the rest of the family, to give to people to wear at the funeral.

Georgia Thornton at Bradford City FC on Saturday.Georgia Thornton at Bradford City FC on Saturday.
Georgia Thornton at Bradford City FC on Saturday.

The intention was never to sell the ribbons but after people began giving her money for them, Georgia decided the money raised would go to the Bradford Burns Unit.

And she has so far raised an amazing £2,750.

By chance Georgia recently bumped into the chief operating officer at Bradford City, James Mason, who was blown away be her efforts and set the ball rolling for her to push on and raise more funds.

With it being close to the anniversary of Bradford City fire disaster, Georgia is hoping more and more people will buy a ribbon in memory of those who lost their lives on that fateful day on May 11 1985.

Georgia Thornton at the Bradford City memorial on Saturday.Georgia Thornton at the Bradford City memorial on Saturday.
Georgia Thornton at the Bradford City memorial on Saturday.
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Georgia’s dad Scott, who lived in Bradford until he was 15, attended the match with his parents on the day of the fire as an eight-year-old, along with two of his brothers.

The club has now become involved with Georgia’s fundraising efforts and invited her to the game last Tuesday evening against MK Dons, where she sold more of her ribbons in one of the suites.

She was also at the game on Saturday, versus Southend United, selling ribbons before presenting a cheque at half-time to the head of Bradford Burns Unit, Ajay L Mahajan.

And she will be back again on Tuesday evening, May 1, in the hope of raising yet more cash.

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Georgia has set up a Twitter account to help – @BCAFC_RIBBONS – and this has led to numerous requests for the ribbons she has made.

She has also been given a signed Bradford City shirt by a fellow fan to auction off for the charity.

Dad Scott, who is branch manager at Castle Windows on White Lund, said: “The response from the fans and people in general has been brilliant.”