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One woman is taking on the establishment in a glorious mission for British nurses – and winning. Economist Dr Noreena Hertz – a self-confessed football novice - is the mastermind behind Mayday For Nurses, a landmark campaign that sees premier league footballers donate a days’ wages to the workforces’ economic plight. Now, with support from every club in the Premiership - a first in football history – including players such as Steven Gerrard, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and Thierry Henry, the crusade reaches fever pitch with today’s official announcement that the England team will grant match fees from a recent friendly alongside the backing of England Head Coach Steve McClaren.

Co-inciding with support from Dave Cameron, Alastair Campbell,
Sir Menzies Campbell, Mohammed Al Fayed and interest from Gordon Brown’s office, the campaign is rapidly reaching its apex and is featured in Channel 4’s documentary ‘The Million Pound Footballers’ Giveaway’, June 7th, 9pm.

“This is a very deserving campaign and I’m delighted that so many people involved in the game are supporting it,” says Steve McClaren. “We all rely on nurses throughout our lives and nobody should underestimate the great work they do. Alongside the players I will also be donating a days’ wages in support of them.”

In just 80 days, Noreena Hertz has travelled the length of the country, meeting footballers and managers, persuading them to support the campaign – with absolutely no prior knowledge of the game or its players. “It’s been quite a baptism of fire! Before this started, I knew nothing about football and had never met a footballer, let alone asked one for money.” Noreena says. “Every pound that the footballers have given will make a real difference to the lives of thousands of nurses in Britain who are currently struggling to make ends meet. Nurses who cannot afford the transport costs to get to work – or who are doing two or three jobs to support their families. Or the seven out of ten nurses who have newly qualified and yet do not have jobs to go to.”

“Getting the support of England’s players is a fantastic boost to the Mayday for Nurses campaign and couldn’t come at a better time,” adds Noreena. “As the campaign moves from the training grounds of Clubs to the corridors of Westminster, the support of the England will help ensure the long term solution to the nursing crisis that the campaign has always intended as its goal.”

Inspired by the “tireless support” she witnessed during the care of her terminally ill mother, the campaign has both personal and political gravity for Noreena. With more than £750,000 raised for the fund, she now intends to make sure that MPs face up to the need to address the nursing crisis and give carers a fair deal. Her maxim is simple - footballers understand the value of nurses, football fans understand the value of nurses and the public understand the value of nurses. Now, it’s the government’s turn.
There are now 30,000 registered supporters on the Mayday For Nurses website and 88 MPs from all parties have signed the Early Day Motion 1422 in support of the campaign.

Other supporters include: Aidy Boothroyd, Gareth Southgate, Terry Venables, Chris Coleman, Sir Alex Ferguson, Martin O’Neill, Sam Allardyce, Glenn Roeder, Gianluca Vialli, Freddy Shephard, Graeme le Saux, Jamie Redknapp, Andy Gray, Clive Tyldesley, Adrian Chiles, Geoff Shreeves, Tim Lovejoy and the Soccer AM Team, Ramon Vega, Terry Byrne, Alastair Campbell, Craig Cohon, Tony Finnigan, Tom Watt, Steve Walford, John Robertson, Mike Forde, and the agents Sky Andrews and Rob Segal.

The Million Pound Footballers’ Giveaway will be broadcast on Channel 4, June 7th at 9pm.

For more information visit: www.maydayfornurses.com

TFF say: Hats off to Dr Noreena Hertz, what a great thing she is doing. I am so surprised that more leading footballers (J. Terry, et al) did not get involved and help to sway others to do the same. Having read this very good article - Football’s big guns caught offside - in which Neill Ghosh discusses the poor form displayed by the top football clubs when giving to charity, it’s clear that footballers and the clubs they work for should be doing more in way of cash contribution for charities. Hopefully Dr Hertz’s efforts will help ease the footballers grip on their wallets, not just for the Nurses fund but also for other worth while courses.