Can you support the MMMF in 2024?
The Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation (MMMF) – a charity founded to preserve the legacy of the Busby Babes – is asking Manchester United fans to support its 2024 fundraising campaign.
The group organises and leads the annual Munich Air Disaster memorial service that takes place in Germany on 6 February each year, and also raises money for disadvantaged young people in Belgrade, Manchester and Munich.
Ahead of the 66th anniversary of the tragedy – which claimed the lives of 23 people, including eight of Manchester United's first team and three staff members – fundraising lead Melissa Moore spoke to us about the group's passionate mission.
Who are the MMMF?
ArticleThe Manchester Munich Memorial Foundation has gone from a ‘ragtag bunch of lads’ to a professionally run charity.
“The reason that we do it all is enhancing the legacy of the team that we lost,” begins Moore.
“It's about using that darkest hour of the club's history and turning that into a positive for the future, for the kids that we help across the north of England and in Munich and Belgrade.
“These place are imprinted on everyone's minds as being part of the history of United.”
A big element of the MMMF's work is passing on the memory of the Busby Babes, and what was lost at Munich, to future generations of United's support. As a symbol of that drive, part of the money raised each year pays for a young person (and their guardian) to travel to Trudering-Riem for the anniversary.
Additionally, all the charities that the MMMF support – including DePaul UK (Manchester), Derian House (Chorley) and Francis House (Manchester) – are geared towards helping young people, as an acknowledgement of the potential that was cruelly lost back in 1958.
“We send a dad and lad, or a mum and kid, over to Munich, and that's part of what is paid for by the fundraising, and also all of the donations that go out to kids' charities, disadvantaged kids or to young people just making their way in the world.
“Again, that just reflects the youth of the team that we lost. It's all about making sure the team is never forgotten, and hopefully the kids that we help will see that it's United fans, the world's greatest social club, that is supporting people all over.”
At the time of writing, over £1,200 has been raised, but Moore and the trustees of the charity are reaching out to Reds all over the world and encouraging them to put their love of United, and the Babes, to powerful effect and further boost that figure.
“We love the generosity of people across the world that have been putting into it,” Melissa explains. “Every penny goes directly to our good causes – we don't take anything. We're a proper team, there's about 15-20 of us and everybody is doing something to assist. It's massively appreciated, the support and the reception that the MMMF gets from our trustees and volunteers, and all the proper match-going fans across the world.
“We've had such a blockbusting year last year, so we really want to beat what we did last year. We're always wanting to beat what happened before; we don't want to rest on our laurels.”
If you can contribute to the MMMF's brilliant work in the name of the Babes, please visit their JustGiving page. Direct bank transfers can also be made – visit the MMMF's website for more information.
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