Hibs unveil new strip with 'Thank You NHS' message as sponsor

The Easter Road side will be looking to make a six-figure donation to the NHS charity
The new Hibs home top with the 'Thank You NHS' design. Picture: SNSThe new Hibs home top with the 'Thank You NHS' design. Picture: SNS
The new Hibs home top with the 'Thank You NHS' design. Picture: SNS

Hibs have made a fantastic gesture to the NHS with a tribute on the front of their new home shirt which has been unveiled today.

From the start of next season, the club will display a ‘Thank You NHS’ message on the strip in the space usually reserved for a sponsor, taking “the opportunity to express the thanks of the entire Hibernian and football community to our magnificent health service for the heroic, selfless and dedicated efforts of its staff during the coronavirus pandemic”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hibs hope to raise a six-figure donation for NHS charity, Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation through fundraising.

Fans will have the option to have the message applied to their top for a £5 fee with profits going to the charity.

In addition, the club announced that the first home league game of the 2020/2021 campaign will be a ‘Thank You NHS Day’ with hundreds of frontline workers invited along as guests.

Hibs will donate 100 tickets for every home game throughout the season to NHS staff.

‘Rally behind in their thousands’

Hibs will pay tribute to the NHS with their new strip. Picture: SNSHibs will pay tribute to the NHS with their new strip. Picture: SNS
Hibs will pay tribute to the NHS with their new strip. Picture: SNS
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ronald Gordon, Hibs chairman, said: “In sport we celebrate our heroes and our stars. The NHS have shown they are our true heroes and our stars – they have valiantly cared for and nurtured us through the most difficult and challenging health crisis of our lives. Their efforts on behalf of all of us, which still continue today, have been magnificent and Hibernian wants to say thank you and celebrate them in the most meaningful way that we can.

“Additionally, we will be raising money and inviting NHS heroes to our games at Easter Road, and the club and our players will be working with our friends and colleagues at NHS Lothian to deliver a programme of health promotion and community service that will raise awareness and inform our entire community. I’m very proud, because this initiative speaks to the character and purpose of Hibernian Football Club.”

Chief executive Leeann Dempster added: “Our front-of-shirt sponsorship is our most visible and valuable sponsorship opportunity and we thought this season of all seasons we needed to show our appreciation to the NHS. As Ron said, we want to say thanks and we want to help raise awareness and also raise funds for good health causes. We know our supporters will rally behind this in their thousands.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, this initiative does not cost the public purse one penny. It has been helped enormously by a small group of supporters who supported us in the idea and we are grateful to them all.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The gesture has been welcomed wholeheartedly by NHS Lothian and its official charity.

Money raised by the club will be used to fund initiatives and items which will help support both patients and staff during such a difficult period.

Tim Davison, chief executive of NHS Lothian, said: “This is a big-hearted move from Hibernian Football Club and I know that all our staff and patients will greatly appreciate the generosity and thoughtfulness of this wonderful gesture.”

The new Hibernian FC home kit is available to pre-order from 10am on Friday 24th April here.