WIREDGOV

Formula One champion and UNICEF UK supporter, Lewis Hamilton, made a special journey to Haiti’s capital yesterday to make an appeal for ITV’s Soccer Aid to be broadcast on June 8.   

Lewis travelled with UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation, to meet children and babies suffering from malnutrition, which still causes a third of all deaths of children under age five in Haiti.

“Meeting children in Haiti has been a heart-breaking experience. Right now 20 million children around the world are suffering with severe acute malnutrition. I met a two year old boy called Dovensley who was so weak he hasn't been able to learn how to walk,” said Lewis Hamilton, Formula One champion and UNICEF UK supporter.

“I am really proud to be supporting Soccer Aid again this year and hope that we have made a film that will show the hard reality of children living without what they need to grow up healthy. UNICEF provides children with life-saving food but needs help.”

“That's why I'm asking everyone to buy a ticket to Soccer Aid, or tune in to ITV on June 8 to give what they can. With the UK Government matching all public donations pound for pound we can reach even more children with the life-saving food and medicines they need.”

Soccer Aid will be taking place on Sunday 8th June at Manchester's legendary Old Trafford stadium and will be broadcast live on ITV. Two star-studded squads of football legends and the world’s biggest stars will compete in an electrifying football match all in aid of UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation. 

UNICEF appeal films will be shown throughout Soccer Aid, including those from UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham, Dame Judi Dench and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. 

Tickets are now on sale for Soccer Aid 2014, visit manutd.com/socceraid or call 0845 456 2014 (calls to this number will be charged at local rates). Go to unicef.org.uk/socceraid to find out more. 

Notes to editors:

For further information and photos, please contact:

Alice Klein, UNICEF UK Senior Media Manager, alicek@unicef.org.uk 0207 375 6082 

Jess Ord, Soccer Aid PR Manager, jesso@unicef.org.uk 0207 375 6237  

UNICEF UK Ambassador Robbie Williams will once again lead the England team and Welsh movie star Michael Sheen returns to captain The Rest of the World, as football’s biggest charity match returns for the fifth time. Sam Allardyce will mange the England team and Jose Mourinho will manage the Rest of the World team.               

Celebrities competing for England include: Robbie Williams (C), Matt Smith, Stephen Moyer, Jack Whitehall, Mark Owen, Olly Murs, Marvin Humes, Paddy McGuinness, Jonathan Wilkes, Jamie Theakston, Ben Shephard and John Bishop. Legends confirmed so far are: Jamie Carragher, Teddy Sheringham, Jamie Redknapp, David Seaman and Graeme Le Saux.  

Celebrities competing for the Rest of the World include; Michael Sheen (C), Gordon Ramsay, Adam Richman, James McAvoy, Patrick Kielty and Nicky Byrne. Legends confirmed so far are; Edwin van der Sar and Jaap Stam 

More high profile names and football legends will be announced shortly.

About UNICEF

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do.  Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.  UNICEF UK raises funds for UNICEF’s emergency and development work and advocates for lasting change for children everywhere. We are a UK registered charity, supported entirely by voluntary donations. We do not receive any money from the UN. For more information, please visit unicef.org.uk