We kick-off week of activity with Liverpool FC to tackle avoidable blindness

Liverpool FC and Standard Chartered are today kicking-off a week of activity to support Standard Chartered’s global charitable initiative Seeing is Believing, which aims to tackle avoidable blindness.

The highlight of the week will be the match against Tottenham Hotspur FC on Sunday 30 March, where Liverpool FC will replace the Standard Chartered logo on their shirts with the Seeing is Believing logo. This will be the third time that the Seeing is Believing logo has been displayed on the iconic red shirt to raise awareness of the programme’s work in the fight against avoidable blindness.

After the game, five limited edition player shirts from the match will be signed and auctioned on eBay to raise money for Seeing is Believing. All donations will be matched by Standard Chartered, making this fixture the ‘Perfect Match’, with the Club and its sponsor coming together to support an important cause.

Liverpool FC will also raise awareness for Seeing is Believing by releasing five videos throughout the week.  The videos will see first team players Lucas Leiva and Jordan Henderson, legends Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman, and celebrity fans comedian John Bishop and Andy Brown, front man for British pop rock band Lawson, taking part in a number of challenges, competing to see who will be crowned the ‘perfect match’ pair. These videos will also form the basis of a competition to win signed Seeing is Believing Liverpool FC shirts via Standard Chartered’s Group Facebook page.

Further activities will focus on a local project visit by first team players Iago Aspas and Simon Mignolet and live match commentary on Twitter via @LFC by legend Didi Hamman during the Liverpool FC v Tottenham Hotspur FC game.

Richard Meddings, Group Finance Director at Standard Chartered and Chairman of Seeing is Believing comments: “Seeing is Believing has received incredibly strong support from Liverpool FC fans in the past, raising more than £100,000 through the activities around the last two ‘Perfect Match’ games. We are very grateful for that support, which helps transform the lives of many individuals around the world by either preventing or curing avoidable blindness.”

There are 39 million blind people worldwide, yet in eight out of ten cases, blindness can be prevented or treated. 90 per cent of avoidable blindness occurs in the developing world, affecting many communities where Standard Chartered operates. Through simple treatments and affordable surgeries, it is possible to transform the lives of both children and adults, benefiting not only those who receive treatment, but also their families. It is one of the most cost-effective health interventions with a cataract operation, for instance, costing as little as £17. Tackling avoidable blindness is an issue where Standard Chartered has been helping to make an impact and the bank has been supporting the cause for over a decade.

Billy Hogan, Chief Commercial Officer at Liverpool FC, added: “We continue to work closely with Standard Chartered to raise awareness and funds for Seeing is Believing both in the UK and the rest of the world. For the past two seasons, the logo swap has worked as a fantastic platform to help promote the initiative and raise money, and we hope this season it can go even further. Seeing is Believing is a fantastic programme and we are proud to be able to use the reach of Liverpool FC to support such a worthy cause.”

For further information, please contact:

Chantal Hadley, Media Relations Officer
Standard Chartered
Tel: +44 20 7885 6429
Email: chantal.hadley@sc.com

Liverpool FC PR Office
Tel: +44 151 432 5686
Email: pr@liverpoolfc.com

Notes to Editors:

Standard Chartered’s sponsorship of Liverpool FC

On 14th September 2009, Liverpool FC and Standard Chartered Bank announced a four-year deal which saw the Bank become the Club’s main sponsor. In July 2013, a two-year extension was announced, lasting until the end of the 2015/16 season.

Liverpool Football Club

Founded in 1892, Liverpool FC is one of the world’s most historic and famous football clubs, having won 18 League Titles, seven FA Cups, eight League Cups, five European Cups, three UEFA Cups, three European Super Cups and 15 Charity Shields.

As a socially responsible business, Liverpool FC is proud of its heritage and plays a proactive role in its communities through its official charity, Liverpool FC Foundation. By delivering a range of award-winning programmes, the Foundation motivates and inspires children and adults, both at home and overseas, using football and the power of the Liverpool FC badge. Its contribution has been recognised by the award of a Community Mark from Business In The Community.

Liverpool FC is a global brand and works with leading edge commercial partners around the world providing unparalleled commercial opportunities.

Seeing is Believing

Seeing is Believing is a global initiative to tackle avoidable blindness, and is a collaboration between Standard Chartered and the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and its membership of eye health organisations.

For more than a decade Seeing is Believing has been supporting projects to tackle avoidable blindness and visual impairment.  To date, Seeing is Believing has raised over USD63 million, taking it more than halfway towards its target of USD100 million by 2020. Funds raised through Seeing is Believing represent the single largest cash contribution from the private sector to the development of eye health programmes through IAPB.  As part of the Seeing is Believing programme, Standard Chartered pledges to match all donations until the target of USD100 million is reached.