Swapping shirts in football terms is considered an act of respect at the end of a hard fought match… but for two Forth Valley College colleagues, trading and wearing their respective rival teams’ tops for a charity fundraiser, is set to test their resilience and patience to the core!
Gordon Weir a FVC Joinery Lecturer – and diehard Falkirk FC fan - and his Joinery Assessor colleague Derek Spence – a firm Dunfermline Athletic FC supporter – will attempt to wear the strip of their fiercest rivals some time before the summer holidays (to be confirmed) to raise more than £1,000 for Cancer Research UK.
The Challenge started as a bit of playful banter, but has now turned into something Gordon and Derek are seriously regretting – and both are starting to feel the pressure.
Anyone familiar with Scottish football, will know that the Bairns and the Pars are bitter rivals, but through clenched teeth and growing dread, both have agreed, to don their opponent’s shirt for an entire day to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.
Now they are looking for as many of their FVC colleagues to donate to the worthy cause, and perhaps enjoy watching them squirm and grimace through an entire day before the end of term, wearing a strip they would never consider putting on. Anyone wishing to contribute can do so here: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/gordy-the-par
Gordon pictured here (right) with Derek – both wearing their own team’s strips for now -said: “We are wearing the kits of our own clubs in these as we had agreed not to swap until we reach the target, and let's face it wearing a Pars top once is more than enough for anyone!
“The idea for this came about when one of my esteemed colleagues mentioned wearing a Dunfermline top, I replied I never would unless it was for charity. Big mistake! Suddenly the challenge was laid down and I'm on my way to raising £500 quid for cancer research.
“A few days later during a Carpentry and Joinery team meeting, everyone was having a good laugh at my expense, particularly Derek my Pars fan colleague and with a bit of peer pressure, suddenly he was roped in too with a new target set at £1000!
“We have been doing fantastic with donations and hopefully with one final push we can smash the target before the end of term! Once the target is reached, we will gracefully - through gritted teeth - swap shirts for a whole day at work!”
Derek, said: “Initially, Gordon was doing this on his own and how it materialised I have no idea. Basically I was having a bit of a laugh at his expense…..then got roped into it myself!
“This whole idea was brought to me when discussing Gordon having wearing the legendary black and white stripes for Cancer Research, which I thought was a superb idea…until others suggested ‘why don`t you wear a Falkirk top’!”
“After a short deliberation and ‘Aye…right then’, the cause outweighed the forfeit. Everyone will be affected by Cancer at some stage in their lives unfortunately, and it is such an indiscriminate disease, and any money raised would compensate the psychological damage that might incur personally.
“After assurances that I wouldn`t grow any further fingers or toes, and seeing it was for such a good cause and a laugh at our expense, I of course accepted the challenge.”
