A letter sent to Head for Change earlier this week threatened to cease communications
The PFA Charity has reportedly issued a threat to withdraw its support for Head for Change, a dementia support group, after details of a meeting between the two parties were reported in the press last week.
According to Sportsmail, a letter sent to Head for Change by Brendon Batson, chair of the PFA’s charity arm, warns that the charity is considering ceasing communication with the group as a result.
Batson, the article points out, is one of several board members of the PFA’s charity and has grown increasingly influential after new PFA chief executive Maheta Molango opted not to become a trustee of the charity due to concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
At a recent meeting with Head for Change representatives, Batson is said to have declined a request for the PFA to give £100,000 to the families of two former players living with dementia. Head for Change later informed the PFA that they would be reporting back to their membership – made up of over 60 former players.
A new report from Sportsmail says Batson appears unhappy that details of the meeting have subsequently been made public, prompting his letter, which was sent earlier this week.
“In the light of the article which appeared following our meeting, I will be discussing with my board as to whether we continue to engage with Head for Change, at this present time or in the future,” he wrote.
Batson’s letter has sparked an angry response from former Blackburn and Chelsea striker Chris Sutton, whose father Mike passed away with the disease last year.
Writing in his column for the same outlet, Sutton claimed it was “hard to argue” with those who say Batson should resign as a result of his letter.
He also questioned how much had changed with the PFA since the arrival of Molango, who he said was not in control of the situation.
Molango’s decision to decline a position on the PFA Charity’s board came as a result of an ongoing inquiry by The Charity Commission, which was launched three years ago.
A lack of separation between the union and the charity was listed as one of the main concerns. Because of that, Molango will not consider joining the board until the process has been concluded. It is not yet known when the inquiry is likely to close.
Related links:
- Viv Anderson explains how football can fight back against the dementia crisis
- Wayne Rooney backs calls for investigation into links between dementia and heading
- Sporting Memories: The charity where football helps tackle dementia, depression and loneliness
