Most important person in football will meet Mickey Mouse!

3rd November 2003

Chelsea Barsby (6) from Kirkby in Ashfield who was born with eye cancer will get her dream holiday thanks to big-hearted football fans and businesses.

22 Mansfield Town fans embarked on a 36 mile sponsored bike ride to Doncaster in the hope of raising £5,000 to send Chelsea to meet Mickey Mouse in Florida – a target that has now been passed.

“We would just like to say a huge thank you to all the riders and supporters who have made this dream possible. The support we had from the people of Nottinghamshire and Doncaster has been amazing. We were close to hitting our target at the end of the ride but more money kept pouring in from all over. Chelsea will now get to meet her all time hero and I will never forget this generosity,” said Chelsea’s father Neil Barsby.

Chelsea was taken to the hearts of the Doncaster Rovers fans as they rallied behind the cause and named her “the most important person in football” for the weekend. All 22 riders were given a standing ovation as they walked round the inside of the Belle Vue ground prior to the game.

Local people as well as Nottinghamshire businesses came out in support of the second annual Chelsea Barsby Campaign Bike Ride including Nottingham based Pharmaceutical Profiles Ltd, Mansfield’s Redfern Coaches and Sherwood Pines Cycle Centre who loaned a tandem so one father and daughter team could make the ride together.

“It was another truly fantastic day for all of us involved but most importantly it means Chelsea can now get to meet Mickey Mouse and swim with dolphins in Florida. She only has 20% in the one eye she has left so we wanted this to happen just in case things take a turn for the worse. Plans are now being made and hopefully the tickets can be booked very soon.” said Graham Parker, Trustee of the CBC.

The day was made even more special as she was the official Stags mascot and took the field at Belle Vue with the Mansfield Town players.