The architect of the 'Sky Blue Revolution' will be remembered via a legacy fund to help members of the local Coventry community...
Coventry City Football Club and Sky Blues in the Community have launched the Jimmy Hill Legacy Fund in memory of the legendary manager and chairman at the Round Oak School in Warwick.
Hill passed away in December 2015 after an incredible career in football which saw him lead the Sky Blues from the Third Division to the First Division in six seasons during the ‘Sky Blue Revolution’.
CCFC and SBitC want to create an ongoing legacy to Jimmy in the Coventry and Warwickshire area so the legacy fund will help support projects for children, young people and adults with disabilities, provide opportunities for young people, support the Sky Blues Family Zone and provide vital funds through grants to various groups and organisations.
The Fund is supported by both Bryony Hill, Jimmy’s widower, and Jamie Hill, Jimmy’s son which will be seek to raise funds through donations from Sky Blue supporters and the business community as well as a series of fundraising events.
Bryony Hill said: “The Jimmy Hill legacy fund is a fantastic initiative and one which we fully support.
“The fund will help support vital community activities and projects in the Coventry and Warwickshire area; an area Jimmy had great fondness for.
“It is well known that Jimmy’s work at Coventry City Football Club had a huge impact on the local community and thanks to the legacy fund, he’ll continue to positively affect Coventry and Warwickshire in the future.”
Guy Rippon, Director of Sky Blues in the Community said: “Being a self-financing charity, we are completely reliant on grants and fundraising to allow us to deliver a wide range of activities in the Coventry and Warwickshire area.
“Today’s event at Round Oak School highlights exactly the type of fantastic work in the community the fund can support in the future with inclusive coaching through football and many other sports.
“It is noticeable in the last couple of years that grants are getting harder to access, so the Jimmy Hill Legacy Fund provides a means for us to raise money in order for us to provide more activities for those with a disability and disadvantaged children.”
Executive Vice Chairman, Chris Anderson, said: “What Jimmy Hill achieved for the City and surrounding areas through the club was enormous, putting the City on the map through football.
“As a club, we want him to continue to do have a huge impact on the future of the City and the legacy fund will help us achieve that aim. The funds raised in Jimmy’s name will go to supporting vital community activities and events, and this is just one of the ways the club can make sure that Jimmy’s legacy will last forever.”
A committee will help run the Fund and distribute monies to external organisations which will include representatives of CCFC and SBitC, and former chairman and SBitC trustee Joe Elliott who is also part of the Jimmy Hill memorial organising committee. There will also be a representative of the Sky Blues supporters on the committee which will change on a yearly basis.
If you would like to find out more about the Jimmy Hill Legacy Fund in general, or to discuss your specific fundraising ideas, please contact Guy Rippon at Sky Blues in the Community on 024 7678 6371, by emailing guy.rippon@ccfc.co.uk or click here for further details.