Fan appeals to Millwall faithful to help homeless war veterans

By Amar Mehta

A Millwall fan has appealed for donations for homeless veterans before tomorrow’s home game against Brentford.
Ayse Smith, editor of fanzine The Lion Roars, will be outside the club’s Zampa Road gates and has asked fans to have a look for any sleeping bags, blankets, quilts, hats and gloves and donate them to UKH4H.
The charity was founded in Bermondsey in 2010 in response to the trouble over Army veterans face after ending their service.
Ayse is on the Official Supporters Club committee and also a full-time carer for the elderly.
She said: “This is a good way to help that doesn’t involve hours and hours of outreach work that UKHomes4Heroes do. If we all pitch in with donations that makes what UKH4H do easier.”
Ayse didn’t grow up in a football family – her dad was “armchair Man United fan”. But one taste of a raucous crowd at the Lions’ home ground was enough: “I’ve been a Millwall fan since my neighbour Paul Mitten brought me to The Den aged 10, Fash scored and the Den erupted… I was hooked.”
She regularly stands outside the gates before home games collecting donations and sleeping bags for homeless people.
She has urged fans to donate anything they can to her to help the homeless.
She said: “I think it’s important that we each do all we can for those who put their life on the line to keep us safe. In an ideal world of course, they wouldn’t need our help, but we all know it’s not an ideal world.”
UKH4H estimate that over 4500 former members of the British Armed Forces are sleeping rough, with this figure continuing to rise following expected cuts to the forces by the Ministry of Defence.
Directors Michelle Thorpe and Jimmy Jukes MBE said: “We would like to thank all the staff and supporters of Millwall FC for your generosity towards your local charity. Together we can make a difference.”
If you don’t have anything spare but would still like to make a donation you can contact the UK H4H at TLRtowers@googlemail.com for details.