Deaf footballer from Wellingborough needs your help to get to the Deaflympics

Claire Stancliffe has played football for more than 10 years in mainstream teams within Northamptonshire as well as for the GB Deaf women’s football team.

The GB deaf team’s players are self-funded so they have to embark on major fundraising to support them through tournaments such as world cups and the Deaflympics.

Claire from Wellingborough, who is also a coach for Northamptonshire Sport, returned from this year’s Deaf World Cup with a bronze medal, but they had to work hard to get there with the midfielder playing a key role in raising enough money to get them there.

She is now doing the same again to get her and her team-mates to the Deaflympics in Turkey next July.

Claire, who uses a Cochlear implant to support her hearing, said: “Because of the hard work and success I had with the World Cup campaign, I have been asked to lead the joint men and women’s campaign for the Deaflympics 2017.”

She has already secured the help of former Manchester United and England star Gary Neville, who has just donated £20,000 to pay the deposit.

But even with his support, Claire is appealing for help to raise the remaining £105,000 needed to get the men and women’s teams to next year’s Deaflympics.

The teams currently receive no funding from the Government or UK Sport so she has been busy using social media to raise awareness and promote their fundraising drive.

For more information about the teams, go to britishdeaffootball.com, look for @GB_DeafFootball on Twitter or search for Great Britain Deaf Football on Facebook.

To make a donation, click here

Claire’s World Cup bronze was the fourth major medal of her career.

She then went on to win Sky Sports sportswoman of the month in July, beating the likes of Serena Williams and Heather Watson.

If you would like to help Claire in her bid to get herself and the team to the Deaflympics, get in touch via @claire1989 on Twitter.