Fans of both Cheltenham Town and Leicester City are being asked to dig deep and help Robins supporter Nathan Mattick fund his new wheels.
Nathan is a well-known face around the Jonny-Rocks Stadium as a volunteer programme seller and board member of the Robins Trust.
The 23-year-old who has cerebral palsy is also Britain’s first wheelchair-using FA-qualified football referee.
Fiercely-independent, Nathan relies on his powered wheelchair to get him around. As he succinctly puts it “my chair is my legs.”
Nathan said: “My current chair is coming to the end of its lifespan and when it was serviced I was told it’s beyond the stage where it would be worth carrying out essential repairs.
It could ‘die’ on me at any time. So, I’m in urgent need of a replacement chair.
“Living with a disability can be challenging, but I try to be as active and independent as I can.
“But I need a fully-functioning chair for that to happen.”
Nathan has been running a Crowdfunding campaign throughout the summer and has so far raised nearly £5,000 towards his target of £8,900 for a new chair.
To give that campaign a boost, Cheltenham Town have agreed to let Nathan hold a bucket collection prior to the pre-season friendly with Premier League club Leicester City on Saturday, July 20.
Nathan, along with volunteers from the Robins Trust will be around the ground urging fans to give as much, or as little as they can to help the cause.
James Young, chairman of the Robins Trust said: “Nathan’s independence is something that is truly amazing. He is a fixture at Trust meetings wherever and whenever they are held.
“We are hopeful that a big crowd will head to Whaddon Road for the Leicester game and that fans of both clubs will rally around a great cause.”
If anyone is able to help with the bucket collection, please e-mail the Trust on info@robinstrust.org.
Anyone who wants to donate to Nathan’s Crowdfunder campaign can log onto donate here.
Nathan can be contacted via twitter: @NathanMattick8