Students at Derby secondary Alvaston Moor Academy were left amazed by a heart-warming message sent specially by a top footballer.
Ben Brereton Diaz, star striker for Championship club Blackburn Rovers, posted a video message to the school after seeing a picture of academy principal Michelle Strong wearing one of the club’s shirts in aid of BBC Children in Need.
But Mrs Strong is no Blackburn Rovers supporter and had been dared to wear the shirt, as she is a lifelong fan of rival club Burnley.
Blackburn Rovers player Ben recorded the video message in response after seeing a photo of Mrs Strong wearing the shirt – which she did to fulfil her side of the bargain after students at the school reached their fundraising target for BBC Children in Need.
Michelle Strong wearing a Blackburn Rovers shirt.
In his message, posted by Nottinghamshire recruitment firm Link3 for which the footballer is an ambassador, Ben said: “Hi Mrs Strong. It’s Ben here from Blackburn Rovers. I hope you are OK. I just wanted to send you a quick message because I’ve seen you in a Blackburn Rovers shirt today and I must say it suits you rather well, so that’s amazing!
“But all jokes aside, I want to congratulate the whole school for the targets you met for Children in Need. It’s a great charity, so I congratulate you all for that. It’s amazing. Best wishes from Link3 Recruitment, myself and all the Rovers team to the whole school. We want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year, so all the best guys!”
Mrs Strong said staff had all had the opportunity to see the video and students who had seen it were “amazed”.
She said: “I was blown away when I saw the message to me and Alvaston Moor Academy by Ben Brereton Diaz! I may not be the biggest fan of Blackburn Rovers, being a die-hard Burnley supporter all my life, but I thought it was hugely kind of him to take the trouble to send us all such a lovely message.
“I was proud of the students for raising money for BBC Children in Need and only too happy to support such a great cause.
“Getting such a personal message from Ben is the best recognition I could possibly have wished for myself and for the students and staff at Alvaston Moor Academy, so I’d like to send him a big thank you in return as well as Christmas greetings all the way from Derbyshire!”
Ben Brereton Diaz is a striker for Blackburn Rovers and also plays for the Chilean national team. He began his career at Nottingham Forest before moving to Blackburn in 2018.
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