15:04, 06 February 2025
| by Nathan Thomas
Some of you may not know that the Foundation was originally formed in 2007 as a legacy to the trailblazing spirit and youthful exuberance of the Busby Babes.
Just as Sir Matt Busby and Jimmy Murphy gave the likes of Bobby Charlton, Duncan Edwards and Tommy Taylor a platform, and similarly, the Foundation has provided opportunities for the young people of Manchester and beyond – supporting them to be the best version of themselves and to follow their dreams, whatever path that may take.
Therefore, the Foundation endeavours to share the story of the Munich Air Disaster with its participants. Supporters who attended this year's pre-match memorial service, commemorating the 67th anniversary of the tragedy, heard Irene - a Foundation volunteer from Middleton – read aloud her poem “Keeping The Flame Alive”, highlighting how, through the Foundation, the legacy of both Munich and Busby and Murphy’s philosophy lives on.
Ahead of the service, Irene visited the club’s museum where she learned more about the personal stories of the players who tragically lost their lives, and spoke to us afterwards to tell us how much this has inspired her.
“Learning about how the team was so young and so successful, and that many of them were from Manchester like me, was really inspiring,” Irene said. “What happened was an awful tragedy, but I think it’s amazing to learn that in spite of that terrible day, the club always stuck by young people and gave them a chance.
“The Foundation do that too, and I have benefitted from that. I feel like that is what I am representing and that is what I have written about; I am really honoured to have read my poem.”
For the third year in a row, the Foundation also took a group of young people from our community football project, Street Reds, to Munich, attending the emotional memorial at Manchesterplatz and enjoying a cultural experience in the city of Munich.
The bond forged between our two cities following the tragedy of 1958 remains as strong as ever.