ESPN STAR Sports Joins Laguna Phuket to Donate to Ban Klongsai School, Phang-nga

Media Release
27-Jul-2008

Laguna Phuket and the ESPN STAR Sports football broadcasting team together raised THB 750,000 for Ban Klongsai School, Phang-nga this past weekend. The school is in desperate need of renovation works to improve hygiene and safety standards. The money raised from this weekend’s fundraising will establish an
ongoing initiative to support this school.

Events kicked off on Friday afternoon, with a friendly five-aside football match at the Youth Football Home in Thalang, between ESPN Star Sports team and the Phuket Reporters Club. There were 20 young footballers from the home, taking part in a football clinic with the ESPN STAR Sports team, with the other half of the school away on a football tournament in Sweden.

Saturday saw Laguna Phuket Golf Club playing host to a charity golf tournament, with sixteen teams of golfers taking part and playing with their favourite ESPN Star Sports presenter. Later in the evening over 160 people joined the charity dinner and auction night, held at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, hosted by veteran ESPN presenter John Dykes. Peter Withe, English league legend and former Thai national
coach was the guest speaker at the dinner, entertaining dinner guests with anecdotes from his professional football career. An auction also took place with memorabilia up for grabs including autographed team shirts from Manchester United and David Beckham, a Rolling Stones signed Fender electric guitar as well as tickets to SING FEST and plenty of other fantastic items.

Phuket locals showed great support for this charity event, sponsored by Kingfisher Premium Lager Beer, and enjoyed the opportunity to get up close and personal with TV personalities, whilst supporting a deserving cause. The ESPN Star team included Andy Penders co-host of Nokia Football Crazy and John Dykes of Football Focus, Andrew Leci of Here We Go; ex-Birmingham City’s Paul Masefield; Australian pundit
PJ Roberts; Malaysian ex-footballer and renowned sports commentator Shebby Singh; former Hong Kong Rangers footballer Derek Currie; presenter of the ‘Game’ Drinie Aguilar, ‘Score Tonight’s’ anchor Paula Malai Ali, and former pop star turned sports presenter Ally Begg.

The following morning the ESPN STAR Sports team visited Ban Klongsai School, where they had the opportunity to meet with the children and staff and see the need for renovation themselves. The THB 750,000 donation presented to the school will be used to renovate the school and furnish it with adequate sanitation, facilities and safe construction.
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