Consistent with their philosophy of philanthropy and drawing close to the community, Real Oviedo have engaged in various projects to be near both Oviedistas and those most in need during the season that is now coming to a close.
During this season, we have visited the Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA) on two occasions. In October, with Toché, Saúl Berjón, Diegui Johannesson, and Alfonso Herrero, we participated in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Day along with a large group of students from secondary school. Just before the Three Kings Festival, we returned to the aforementioned healthcare facility for the visits that, year after year, are the most exciting for us: bringing gifts to children admitted there. Toché, Forlín, Mossa, and Valentini, as well as Silvia Fernández and Alejandro Moro from Real Oviedo Femenino, were entrusted with delivering gifts to the little ones. The gifts were provided by Juan Mata, a Real Oviedo shareholder and Youth Academy graduate, as well as by the club.
Another traditional visit that Real Oviedo participated in during the current season took place in January at the Centro Penitenciario de Asturias. Our players Saúl Berjón, Carlós Hernández, Aarón Ñíguez, and Viti spent some time with the inmates, in both the male and female wings.
After the earthquake that devastated Mexico last September, Real Oviedo expressed their solidarity with them. During the match at Carlos Belmonte stadium, our players wore jerseys that read “Albacete - Real Oviedo. 24 de septiembre. ¡FUERZA MÉXICO!" (Albacete – Real Oviedo. 24th September. STRENGTH TO MEXICO!). The jerseys were auctioned off by the club, raising 8,013.01€, which was distributed to people affected by the quake through the following organizations: Fundación Carlos Slim, Fundación Telmex Telcel, Telcel, and Telmex.
Africa was once again the destination of one of Real Oviedo's charitable collaborations. Through both the NGO "Perlas en el barro" and the non-profit organisation Avimun, we sent sports clothing from the club to children in Ghana and in Senegal.
In stores, the club sold Miguel Linares wristbands, which raised a total of 1,675 euros. That was entirely donated to the Asociación Galbán, dedicated to helping children with cancer. The foundation also received the amount collected from the auction of Real Oviedo's 92nd anniversary jerseys that were worn by the first team on March 18th, the day that the blue team competed against Granada at Tartiere. The amount collected during the auction came to 1921.20€.
Furthermore, Real Oviedo visited 16 educational centres in several cities in the province during the season with players from the first team. In addition to talking with the students and responding to their questions, the players also invited the students from each visit to attend a match at Carlos Tartiere. This year was the first time players from Real Oviedo Femenino were incorporated into the activity.
Additionally, the club invited various Asturian schools to each match played at Tartiere. Together, they received a total of 9,000 tickets during the season.
Attendance to celebrations of Real Oviedo supporters clubs to commemorate their anniversaries constituted another important chapter for the club. During this season, the club attended around thirty of these events with institutional representatives and players.
This year, Real Oviedo participated in the Chinese New Year celebration that took place in Lugones, having been invited by the Asociación de Chinos en Asturias. An institutional representative from the club and the player Aarón Ñíguez attended. The club maintain a special relationship with China, since more than 1,500 of the club's shareholders are from there. Additionally, we have had a profile on the social network Weibo for the last few years to inform Oviedistas from China of daily news in their language.
Another very relevant chapter for the club was the diverse tributes given to several ex-players, previous club employees and some of the oldest season ticket holders during matches at Carlos Tartiere. Additionally, on the occasion of the ninety-second anniversary of the club, a group of the oldest season ticket holders were recognized on the playing field at Tartiere. They went onto the pitch with players from the first team moments before the match against Granada. Also, Oviedistas of 50 years received the club's insignia in gold during a gala banquet, as is tradition.
Real Oviedo collaborated once more this season with the "Semana del Voluntariado de la Fundación Obra Social La Caixa" (La Caixa Social Work Foundation's Volunteer Week). The club were visited at El Requexón by twenty members of the Asociación Down Asturias, who, accompanied by personnel from the banking institution, mingled with the players from the blue's first team.
Another initiative the club participated in was Movember, a campaign raising awareness about the importance of preventing male diseases. Our players Saúl Berjón and Carlos Hernández lent their image in support of the Movember campaign from El Requexón, next to the heads of the Movember Foundation in Europe.
Real Oviedo also participated in the campaign "Por derecho, nadie sin hogar" (Rightfully, no one homeless). It is promoted by the Fundación Mar de Niebla with the purpose of raising awareness about the housing need that many people have in our society.
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