We spoke to QMFC President Daniel about planning the match, fundraising for UNHCR UK, and what comes next for the club.
Last semester, Queen Mary Football Club and Women's Football Club held a charity match against King’s College London, bringing together students from both universities and raising over £8,700 for UNHCR UK – plus, our football club won! This football fixture became a major community event and highlights the power of student-led fundraising.
We wanted to shine a spotlight on the club’s great work, so we spoke to QMFC President Daniel about the match, the cause they chose and what’s next for the club!
Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about what you do at Queen Mary.
I’m Daniel. I study medicine at Barts, after a degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (also at QM). I’m also President of Queen Mary Men’s Football Club (QMFC). I help run the club day to day by organising fixtures and training, supporting the committee, and pushing projects that build the club culture and community.
Tell us a bit about the charity you fundraised for and why you chose them.
We raised money for UNHCR UK (the UN Refugee Agency’s UK charity partner), supporting people who have been forced to flee their homes.
We chose UNHCR UK because it feels close to home at Queen Mary. QM is a diverse university, and there are probably more people than we realise who can relate, either personally or through their family’s story. It felt like something meaningful to support, and football is one of the best ways to bring people together around a cause like that.
What was your favourite part of the charity match?
Two things, the build-up, and the day itself.
Before the match, the demand was crazy. We had to increase capacity twice, and even after we sold out, I was still getting messages asking for more tickets. Selling over 1,000 tickets was a huge accomplishment.
On the day, seeing people from loads of different societies come together, plus the QM and KCL connection getting stronger, was exactly what we wanted. The vibe was so good all day, and hitting the fundraising total at the end just topped it off.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a club or society who wants to raise money for charity?
Plan it properly. Build hype early, keep it organised on the day, and make it easy for people to donate. Then just enjoy it. If people can see it’s run well and the energy is good, they’ll back it.
Finally, what are your next goals for QMFC?
Keep growing the club on and off the pitch. Stronger culture, better organisation, more community events like this closer, within our local community, and keep growing the Charity Match.
Please join us in congratulating Daniel and the club for their great work on this project. If you're interested in raising money for a charity, please check out more information about Raise and Give here.
