Shutt looking to be a team player on and off the pitch this season by supporting Ben Saunders Foundation

Slimbridge winger Joe Shutt is looking to be a team player both on and off the pitch this season, after reaching to fundraise for the Ben Saunders Foundation.

Shutt, who has made 17 appearances for the Swans already this season, is looking to offer his support to the foundation set up following Ben being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer sarcoma in October 2019.

Ben unfortunately lost his battler in 2020, but the foundation continues to go from strength to strength, raising almost £900k in total.

The foundation raises much needed funding to support families of teenagers and young adults suffering with cancer in the UK, and helps families by providing them access to purchased holiday homes based in the Cotswolds to give holidays for young people going through cancer treatment as well as bereaved parents.

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Shutt is supporting the foundation ahead of their crucial Christmas raffle and joined Butler on this week’s Buttee’s For Breakfast show to not only talk about the Swans’ great start to the season but his connection to the charity.

“I’ve just taken on a shop now in Yate and it’s going to be a bit of an all sorts shop. I’ve just been communicating the last few weeks with the Ben Saunders Foundation. I think what they do is brilliant,” said Shutt.

“[The foundation is for] a young lad who sadly passed away from cancer. He was also a footballer and played a few times at Bath City, I think U16s.

So it’s a brilliant cause and something that I want to hopefully get some money towards. I’ve known about for a while now from a close family friend. But yeah, if any of your listeners are out there and they want to have a little look on there and donate, then that’d be brilliant.

Another reason why I’ve reached out to this charity, a close friend of mine growing up, when I was 17, Kieran, he passed away of the same cancer and I’ve been involved in charity games for him throughout my footballing journey,

I suppose, it’s something that I always think back to and think that Kier…I don’t want to get emotional…but Kier would love to be here today.

I grew up playing football with him from bloody under 10s till he passed away. So I’ve said, there’s more to life than football. There is more than winning and losing, for me, that’s probably why I’m the character I am.

I’m quite relaxed because of things I’ve gone through, but it really is a brilliant cause,” added Shutt.

You can hear more of Joe Shutt talking about Slimbridge’s start to the season and a preview of their FA Vase tie against Wells City on Saturday’s Buttee’s For Breakfast, live from 9am.

Cover photo taken by and copyright to Brian Rossiter. Check out his Flickr account for all of his pictures by clicking here