David Beckham & Andy Murray at Wembley Stadium to mark the launch of MNM UK

In April 2009, two of the UK’s top sporting heroes took centre stage at Wembley Stadium, to mark the launch of Malaria No More UK.

David Beckham and Andy Murray are members of the Malaria No More UK Leadership Council and played against one another at the world famous Wembley Stadium for a-once-in-a-lifetime sporting moment. They played ‘keepie uppies’ with footballs and tennis balls, football tennis and normal tennis over the world’s longest tennis net spanning 68 metres, produced out of blue mosquito net fabric. Then they moved onto football and took turns to take free kicks into the first ever blue mosquito goal net. While Andy passed on a few tennis tips to David, David let Andy into a few secrets on how to take the perfect free kick. The games symbolised the urgent need for bed nets for those who die from malaria.

“By creating awareness we can really make a difference. Days like today are so important. It’s a real honour and a privilege for both Andy and me to get behind Malaria No More UK. When I went over to Sierra Leone as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, I saw the devastation that many diseases cause, but malaria is the biggest single killer for children under five. The statistics are really frightening.”
David Beckham

“It’s great that we’re here to help with the campaign and make a difference. Malaria is preventable. The suffering and deaths it causes are so unnecessary especially because it is so cheap to make a difference – just £5 to protect a family for up to five years.”
Andy Murray

“We are thrilled that David and Andy have so generously given up their time to raise awareness about malaria. They are two of the world’s biggest names in sport and it is fantastic that they want to help us end suffering and deaths from malaria.”
Sarah Kline, Executive Director, Malaria No More UK

United Against Malaria

Malaria No More UK was a founding partner of United Against Malaria – a campaign using the power of football to raise awareness about the fight against malaria. The coalition is made up of an international squad of football stars, celebrities, non-governmental organisations, foundations, governments and corporations who united for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa to reach the 2010 goal of universal access to mosquito nets in Africa, a crucial first step to reaching the international target of reducing deaths to near zero by 2015. Support for United Against Malaria received commitments from players including US football team captain Landon Donovan and clubs LA Galaxy and FC Barcelona. Bono, actress Ashley Judd and Melinda Gates also pledged their support.

To mark the end of the World Cup in South Africa, a concert was organised in Johannesburg in support of United Against Malaria. Celebrate Africa—The Grand Finale Concert took place on 9 July 2010 and helped to generate further support and awareness in the fight against malaria. The Concert featured the multi-award winning Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and special guests including the celebrated Canadian singer/songwriter Bryan Adams, and South Africa’s own soprano sensation, Pretty Yende.

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