City supporters celebrate South American links on Brazil takeover day

Exeter City celebrated partnership with Brazil

St James Park rocked to the beat of a Samba band as Exeter City celebrated its unique partnership with Brazil this weekend.
 

The League One club was the first team to ever play the national Brazil side – and the club celebrates and continues to build on its links.

The match against Bolton Wanderers was designated a Brazilian themed day to commemorate that link – and everything from the matchday music to the food served in hospitality got the South American treatment.
 
Amongst guests of the club were Richard Pym, grandson of Dick Pym, city’s goalkeeper who went on that Brazil tour, 110 years ago and then, bringing things full circle back to today, went on to sign for Bolton Wanderers in 1921.

Also present were the new Bishop of Exeter, Mike Harrison, representatives from the Brazil desk of the Foreign and Commonwealth office and Ricardo Calcado from the charity Onda Solidária.

Onda Solidária is a charity which works to promote social inclusion through generating opportunities in low income communities in Brazil. It is supported by the Brazilian football club Fluminense. It was Fluminense’s Laranjeiras stadium which hosted City’s famous match against Brazil in 1914.

Exeter City Football Club has recently added Onda Solidária to the group of charities it supports through its Community Fund.

Ricardo said: “Our charity generates opportunities for children and young people in Brazil through football, culture, environment and education. Exeter City has been amazing through its support for our charity and fans should be very proud that we're making an impact in Brazil on so many children and people’s lives. History is more and more alive, not only through our football history and our friendship, but through our charity as well.
 
“We Brazilians cherish this history between Brazil and Exeter and when you see this amazing giant club helping children in Brazil that makes us feel more and more in love with Exeter City, so we love this club in Brazil.”
 
Nick Hawker, club chair and chair of Exeter City Supporters’ Trust, said: “This is everything that the Supporters’ Trust is about. It's about sharing with the community and celebrating with the community. As a football club we carry out a great deal of local activity, but to know that we're going to make a difference in in Rio and across Brazil - it's just amazing.”

Exeter City Community Fund raises money throughout the season for seven charitable organisations. In addition to Onda Solidária, the organisations supported by the fund are Exeter City Community Trust, Exeter Community Initiatives (ECI), Alright Mate? CiC, Exeter Leukaemia Fund, Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services, and Refugee Support Devon.

Last season, thanks to the generosity of supporters, the club was able to donate £20,000 to its Community Fund charities.