Football team near Harborough strips naked on a freezing day to help raise £50,000 as they support a player’s wife battling a deadly cancer

The footballers bared almost all as they get behind Jonny Larsen’s brave wife Joanna as she fights stage 4 secondary breast cancer. (Image by JLGFotography).

A football team have shown their true colours by stripping naked on a freezing day to help raise £50,000 as they support a player’s wife battling a deadly cancer.

Wearing just their socks, Welford Victoria Vets stripped off on an icy December morning with footballs hiding their embarrassment to do a calendar shoot they’ll never forget as they posed between the posts.

Some 16 gutsy footballers bared almost all as they get behind Jonny Larsen’s brave wife Joanna as she fights stage 4 secondary breast cancer.

The squad for over-35-year-olds, based at Welford on the Leicestershire-Northamptonshire border, is aiming to rake in £50,000 for the Leicester-based Hope Against Cancer charity.

Overwhelmed Jonny said: “I would like to say a massive thanks to my friends and team-mates at Welford Vets for baring all for their 2021 calendar.

“All I can say from the bottom of my heart is a huge thank you to each and every one of them - and thanks as well to those who have already bought and donated.”

Jonny has been fundraising for Hope Against Cancer for almost two years – and his wife Joanna grew up with some of the Welford Vets stars.

Sadly, Joanna was diagnosed with extremely serious stage 4 secondary breast cancer in September 2015.

“I haven’t been a member of the Welford Vets squad for that long.

“However, the support they have given towards my fundraising has been overwhelming,” said Jonny.

“Jo has been a Welford girl all her life and knows many of the squad. “Welford Vets are such a tight-knit group and their support has been amazing, I really appreciate all they are doing for us.”

The money raised by Welford Victoria Vets – which stretch back 122 years to 1898 - will help Hope Against Cancer maintain vital specialist support to people with cancer across Leicestershire and Rutland.

Jonny has so far raised £27,178 from over 370 supporters and you can help him hit his ambitious £50,000 target by donating on his Justgiving page here:

Jonathan Larsen is fundraising for Hope Against Cancer (justgiving.com)

You can lay your hands on the football team’s ‘Hunks’ 2021 calendar by donating at least £20 with every penny backing this brilliant cause.

Just email your name and address to [email protected] and you’ll get your copy in the post.

You can check out the Hope Against Cancer charity here: https://www.hopeagainstcancer.org.uk/The 16 bravehearts who star in the calendar are Adam Herring, Andrew Howard, Andrew Lane, Anthony Perkins, Benjamin Green, Barrie Dowsett, Damion Nickerson, Paul Deeming, Kevin Sharrock, Mike MacMillan, Nathan Priest, Paul Brown, Robert Bigham, Philip O'Brien, Russell Butcher and Trevor Cottrell.