Sunderland will mark the 25th anniversary of their Foundation of Light charity by wearing a special commemorative shirt before Sunday's Premier League match against Leeds United. Only 500 of the limited-edition Hummel shirts have been produced, with proceeds from sales and a post-match auction of the players' warm-up tops going directly to the charity's community programmes.
The shirts will be worn during the pre-match warm-up at the Stadium of Light ahead of the 4.30pm kick-off. Fans can purchase their own at the Foundation's reception building for £35 for adults and £25 for children. The match forms part of Founders' Week, a celebration of the charity's quarter-century of work focusing on education, sport, health and wellbeing across Sunderland, South Tyneside and County Durham.
Full-back Trai Hume, pictured in the shirt, spoke about the Foundation's significance. "25 years is an amazing milestone for the Foundation and one they fully deserve," Hume said.
The anniversary event comes as Sunderland seek a key league result. The team is 20th in the Premier League table with four points from seven games, having scored 8 goals and conceded 16. Their next fixture is this Sunday at home against Leeds United. After the final whistle, the players' match-worn warm-up shirts will be auctioned to raise further funds. The Foundation of Light was established by the club in 2001 and has since become a cornerstone of its community outreach.
Sunderland's league position is precarious, sitting 20th with just four points from one win and a draw in their opening seven matches. Their recent form shows one win, one draw and three defeats from the last five games, including a 1-1 draw with Lech Poznan last Thursday where Timur Tutierov scored an early opener. The team has scored six goals and conceded fourteen this season, leaving them with a minus eight goal difference and seventeen points behind the league leaders. Their top scorer this season is B. Brobbey with three goals. The upcoming match against 8th-placed Leeds United on Saturday 25 October represents a key opportunity to improve their standing.
Read the full report at The Northern Echo
