Hello everyone. As we all know, times are tough at the moment but a genuine City legend and his family need some help. Chris Chilton has been suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's for a number of years now, but the situation has worsened this year. Chris needs 24-hour care, but the social services won't provide him with this. The PFA have paid for a few weeks in a care home - where Chris is very happy - but that runs out in a few days. His family have reached the point where there's nothing more they can give, emotionally or financially. His son is currently looking to sell his house to fund his dad's care. Francesca Wagstaff has launched a campaign (along with Ken, naturally) to try to raise some money for the family to give them some breathing space and hopefully bring some sort of financial resolution to the situation. The gofundme page is here. If you can spare anything at all it would be very, very gratefully received. https://uk.gofundme.com/f/chris-chilton-appeal
There will hopefully be more stuff coming up. Loads of former players are being fantastic. We're a bit limited with what we can do due to Covid, but hopefully we'll make a difference.
“Chris Chilton has been suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's for a number of years now, but the situation has worsened this year. Chris needs 24-hour care, but the social services won't provide him with this.” juat to ask rich? why won’t the social services pay for this? The cost of care is ridiculous, is the plan just to pay for respite care for a further few weeks? As I don’t think a funding page could carry on paying for the long term. Sorry if it comes across harsh
I'll level with you Chazz, the plan is about trying to improve things for the Chilton family. I'm more on the fan/former player end of things, with Francesca dealing more with the family. The picture she paints when she goes to see them is bleak. But it will be for the family to decide how it's best allocated, be it paying for Chris to go into the care home for a handful of days every week or just giving them a few weeks or months where they can regroup. All I know if that their emotional and financial position is horrific and hopefully we can improve that. It may not resolve everything in the long term, but it will make things better. I know that the response already has given the family a boost they would have found unimaginable a couple of weeks ago. It doesn't sound harsh, by the way, they are fair questions! Sorry I can't go into any more depth. We're aware that the situation is big, and that a lot of the issues the Chiltons face aren't going to go away. But I do think we can make a difference to them. The response already has been incredible.
The Social Services don't provide 24 hour care so I suppose the alternative is put him in a home? My late Father had Alzheimer's and it's not something I even considered in the late stages of his life.If the price of an afternoon in the pub can help him and his family then I'm in....City legend.
Donated. Awful thing dementia. My wife’s Mum had it badly. Hope the fund raising gives Chris and his family some much needed respite. If you are reading this please go to the page and give something. There are some terrible illnesses out there but dementia is right up there.
Fabulous to see numerous ex-City players contributing, alongside so many fans. Even Grant McCann has put a ton in, fair play to the gaffer. Five grand in three hours - chapeau, Monsieur Richard!
Hope it was ok to do but I've copied it to the South Holderness school FB page. Small amounts make a big difference.
Phil Buckingham has done a good piece in The Athletic about Alan Jarvis, who played in the same team as Chris. He died of Alzheimer’s and last week the coroner declared it as an industrial disease. This is the first time apparently a coroner has said this, which is a bit of a watershed moment, as it confirms that heading the ball, particularly in those days when it was much heavier than today, was the cause.
Any sharing is very welcome. Thank you. The response so far has been incredible. City fans may get on each other's backs and stuff from time to time, but I've seen on many occasions now, when the chips are down they come through and then some. I ****ing love coming from Hull. Days like today show why.
