A Tottenham Hostspur fan has agreed to what some would describe as the ultimate betrayal - wearing an Arsenal shirt - but it’s all in the name of a good cause.
Hampstead resident Holly Shaw, 30, who describes herself as a “huge Spurs fan”, will wear an Arsenal shirt at the Premier League match on Saturday against Tottenham Hotspur to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.
The stunt is part of a larger fundraising effort with her younger brother Nathaniel; the pair are planning to run the London marathon next month to raise money for the charity.
“Our grandmother suffered with Alzheimer’s in her final years before she passed away so it is quite close to our hearts,” Ms Shaw said.
The decision to wear the Arsenal football shirt came from Ms Shaw’s boss, an Arsenal fan, who said he would pledge £100 to the cause if she agreed to wear the shirt to the North London derby this weekend. Other colleagues have also since sponsored Ms Shaw.
For @alzheimerssoc I'll wear @Nilstar1's Arsenal shirt ALL DAY on Sat! Dig deep & sponsor: https://t.co/H4RldfIBNJ pic.twitter.com/XGzMPGPvQt
— Holly (@hollyberries86) March 3, 2016
“It will be an absolutely horrific and a very, very disturbing experience,” Ms Shaw joked. “My boss has demanded photographic evidence so I am sure he will haunt me with that for years to come.”
Spurs fan and blogger Harry Hotspur wrote a post about Ms Shaw’s football sacrifice, and in the last 24 hours her JustGiving online fundraising page has received another £250. Ms Shaw and her brother are aiming to raise £4,000 for the charity.
The north Londoner will borrow the Arsenal shirt of an Israeli friend Nil Williamson, and the two plan to do some additional fundraising prior to the match at White Hart Lane.
Ms Shaw is now considering wearing the shirt during part of the marathon as her boss has said he would increase his pledge to £500 if she did.