Orphaned Ukrainian children will benefit from a kind-hearted gesture by a former Caley Thistle star – who is putting a prized medal in an online raffle.
Ex-Inverness player Paul Cherry is giving away his nine-carat gold 1996-97 Division Three winner’s medal to raise funds for charity Dnipro Kids.
Midfielder Cherry was part of the Inverness club’s first-ever title win in the Scottish Leagues, which came under Steve Paterson.
That first title success was the start of a remarkable journey for the club, which has reached the top-flight twice and is currently competing to get back there via the Championship play-offs this year.
Cherry, who is based in Murcia in Spain, put his Division Three winner’s medal up for auction on Facebook’s Inverness then and now page, with the following message: “I have the greatest memories from ICTFC winning their first Scottish League championship, but the donations from the raffle would be put to better use to enhance the lives of children in Ukraine.”
The entire proceeds from the sale of Cherry’s Inverness medal will go directly to the Dnipro Kids.
The 57-year-old is also raffling off a First Division winner’s medal, earned when he was playing for St Johnstone in 1990.
More than 80 tickets have been sold for this Highland sporting gem, with his St Johnstone prize shifting 149 tickets, so by the second week in April, around £2300 has been raised.
Fans have until the end of the month to try and buy their chance to win and the push is on to attract even more entrants.
Cherry happy to donate medals, as he’s got memories
Cherry explained how the idea came to him to dig out his prized possessions and turn them into gold-dust for those most in need, with his Saints link a key factor.
By chance, when watching the TV news, Cherry saw a Perth-based football fan who he knew from his time in the Fair City, Steven Carr, who set up and is chairman of the Dnipro Kids charity.
That’s when Cherry learned about Carr’s work to get youngsters aged between two and 19 away from the war-torn country and to safety in Stirlingshire via Poland initially.
Dnipro Kids was established in 2005 by Carr and a group of Hibernian supporters who started a charitable collection for a local orphanage in Dnipropetrovsk after visiting the city for a UEFA Cup qualifier.
In recent weeks, fans of Hibs, Aberdeen and other clubs throughout Scotland have rallied to offer support to their cause.
Cherry said: “I didn’t realise Steven Carr, who I knew from my time in Perth, was involved and then I seen him on the television with the orphans coming over to Scotland.
“I sent Steven a message, telling him what he is doing is unbelievable and I said: ‘great respect to you and the team for what you’re doing’.
“I told him I have these two medals now lying in the drawer.
“I’ve got the memories of the achievements at Inverness and St Johnstone. I also have scrapbooks full of memories from those times.
“I thought to raise funds I would offer supporters of Inverness, St Johnstone or indeed any fan of Scottish football history the chance to try and win the medals.
“So, I decided to raffle the medals to allow it to be more affordable (than an auction). All the funds will go to the charity.”
St Johnstone fans: Former midfielder Paul Cherry is raffling off his Division One winners’ medal from season 1989-90, with all proceeds raised going to @DniproKids.
Link: https://t.co/ESorRJG1xx pic.twitter.com/0rJFoSaibB
— Matt Gallagher (@MattGallagher_1) March 30, 2022
Cherry hopes fans jump at chance to net ICT medal
Cherry explained his link with Carr goes back decades and now he hopes fans rally round for the chance to score a piece of Highland footballing history.
He added: “Steven actually fitted my house alarm in Perth about 30 years ago when I was at St Johnstone.
“He told me when I sent the message he still had the photo from the Perthshire Advertiser back then of Steven and myself, with me pointing at the alarm. And he still has that picture in the office. It’s a small world.
“I know, through the generosity of the supporters, the money will go to a great cause.
“The children have come over to Scotland, thanks to the charity. It’s a difficult situation for all, but money goes a long way to help people.
“It would be great to get the message out to Inverness supporters – as as many people who know (about the raffle) the better, as we aim to raise money for the charity.”
Tickets for raffle, which cost £10, put entrants in the running to win the medals. The raffle ends on April 30 or when the last ticket is sold – whichever comes sooner.
This link will take you directly to the page on the website which features the ICT medal: https://raffall.com/295767/enter-raffle-to-win-sfl-gold-football-medal-hosted-by-paul-cherry
