MUSC France + Les Petites Bosses
“When I was born in 1985 my Dad wrapped me up in the ‘85 FA Cup shirt so from then on I was just a United fan!” Geoffroy Fisher, Secretary of MUSC France, is not exaggerating when he says he’s been a United fan all his life.
The bilingual Red, whose mother is French, leads a branch of some 450 members who are all based in France. His motivation for starting the Supporters’ Club was simple. He was upset at seeing fans being overcharged for attending matches at Old Trafford. Geoffroy’s dedication is such that he’s also been involved in helping to set up branches in Switzerland and Belgium.
Combining his passion for United and his desire to help his fellow fans Geoffroy explains his motivation for running the French MUSC branch: “The Supporters’ Club is my way of helping fans go to games. It allows me to do it the right way and help people go to Old Trafford.”
Hearing about the United for the Children campaign, Geoffory explained how the French club came together to make a decision on a cause that would resonate within their branch:
“We sent a message to all of our members to see if we knew anyone who would benefit from fundraising but in the end the charity Les Petites Bosses was the one we approached. We decided we would concentrate on one child through the charity who we could follow for their entire life.”
The Les Petites Bosses Charity aims to provide moral, material or financial support to sick or disabled children in order to improve their daily lives. With the help of the charity, Geoffroy and the members of the club settled on supporting the family of three-year-old Leonie. As a twin to sister Anna, Leonie was unfortunately born with a cerebral disease that impacts her movement and development.
“It’s a disease where she can’t walk yet, but there is hope that she can walk one day,” explained Geoffrey. “We’ve managed to raise £1,600, which is being used for a specialised pram so she can sit at the table or on the sofa and it supports her back more. It’s crucial to have that kind of equipment to make sure she can walk in the future. There is also a special seat for the shower. At the moment the parents have to carry her but she’s getting heavier!
“She’s a fighter and has been through a lot. Right now she’s doing well and with this material help it’s going to go even better.
“The funny thing is she lives in France and her dad is a Manchester United fan because he studied in Manchester! This was destiny and it was meant to be!”
Talking about the importance of working with Supporters’ Clubs on charitable initiatives, Geoffroy said: “For Manchester United to run this campaign, it’s huge and I think that power triggered everything. It’s been a good experience for everyone involved. People often talk about the money involved in football nowadays but this campaign proves that there’s a lot more to it.
“We want to try and do this fundraising once a year for this particular child. As a supporters’ branch we are trying to help and do our best to give one child a better chance in life. We’re hoping to bring her to Old Trafford one day in the future!”
Find out more about joining the French Supporters’ Club.
Learn more about Les Petites Bosses