Why Operation Hoodie?

Hi, welcome to Operation Hoodie!!

"The launching of Operation Hoodie is a huge achievement for our team of volunteers who have gone through thick and thin for this great cause. We know our hard work will pay off, and you will go out and support Cancer Research UK by purchasing our hoodies. We each have our own personal reasons for doing this but together we continue to strive towards our common goal.. ensuring that together we will beat Cancer." James Clegg Operation Hoodie Founder & Chairman

The beginning: Our inspiration
In the beginning, each of the Operation Hoodie volunteers had their own personal reason to contribute to the appeals creation. However, for founder and Chairman James Clegg, it was the brave fight of his friend Lee Doughty which inspired him to make a difference. Doughty, a close friend and Fairburn Cricket Club team-mate was just 23 when doctors told him he was suffering from cancer. Over many months, Lee Doughty continued to remain positive and led a brave fight against his terminal Cancer before tragically losing his battle at the age of 24. Doughty, was an excellent sportsman, a true gentleman and a man who will never be forgotten by his strong family and his hatful of friends. Inspired by the heroics of Lee, Clegg felt he owed it to himself to do something positive for the Doughty family, and this would eventually lead to the creation of Operation Hoodie.

Lee Doughty
09/12/1982 - 25/02/2007

Foundations: An appeal of many guises
Due to Lee's love for Cricket, Clegg's original plan was to host a celebrity charity cricket match at their much beloved Fairburn CC. However, this idea was dismissed when Clegg realized that getting 11 celebrities to commit to the same date was practically impossible. Not to be deterred, Clegg turned his thoughts to an appeal which would be more long term and queried the idea of sending five Cancer Research UK hoodies around the UK. In Romida, he found a hoodie supplier who would provide the five hoodies for free, so now he had to iron out the finer points of his plan. Like many teenagers the world over, Clegg along with co-founder James Vause had recently acquired personal pages on the highly popular network site MySpace. Boasting over 100 millions members, the boys felt that here was an opportunity for them to explore their ambitious idea. Together they formed a Myspace group known famously as the "Cancer Research Appeal", and set about advertising their idea to the masses.

"I was behind Clegg all the way, from the very start. I told him that whatever he wanted to do I'd be right beside him. James and the team really are a joy to work alongside. We really have been through thick and thin throughout the appeal and it certainly hasn't been easy! I guess my own personal motivation for taking part in Operation Hoodie came from the thousands upon thousands of cancer sufferers nationwide. I think to put things into perspective, our struggle to get Operation Hoodie up and running is nothing compared with the struggle these people are faced with everyday. It really is a pleasure to lend a small helping hand to these tremendously brave people." James Vause Operation Hoodie Co-Founder & Vice Chairman

Spending many hours online, the boys sent letter after letter to the many Myspace members asking them if they wished to take part in this appeal (Vause claiming that Clegg was "only targeting young attractive girls", an accusation Clegg feverishly denied). Much to the boy's annoyance, some chose to ignore their emails, but gradually the "Cancer Research Appeal" numbers began to blossom. Clegg admits he "spent much of his university studying time sending out letters", often claiming he was "hooked on increasing the groups numbers". Using their group the boys slowly built up their fanbase and asked members to discuss their outlandish ideas through the group's online forum. These discussions were indeed fruitful, encouraging the boys to ask their members for a catchy name for their hoodie idea. It was member James Brownsword, co-incidentally a close personal friend of Vause's, who suggested the name Operation Hoodie, and at last the appeal acquired a catchy and sophisticated name. Clegg and Vause were no longer the Cancer Research Appeal or "CRA officers".. Operation Hoodie was born!!!

Despite all their online success, Clegg and Vause knew they lacked one vital thing - practicality! How were they going to send 5 hoodies around the UK? Would people pass on the hoodies? Would the hoodies become damaged? And would the idea of collating a large database of hoodie pictures be achieved with just five hoodies in circulation? Sensing the boys were overlooking a golden opportunity, it was during these discussions, that Uni Kit MD Will Hemming suggested the possibility of manufacturing and selling the hoodies to the public. At last, here was an opportunity for hoodies to be sold at a financial gain to Cancer Research UK, plus allow the public to have their own hoodie for keeps.. Perfect?

Progression: Turning the dream into reality.. easy right?
Hooked on this new idea, Clegg acquired new volunteers to the appeal. Sally Hutton, the Cancer Research UK representative was always on hand to lend her expertise. In addition Clare Williams, was appointed Events manager and Sophie Cairns also joined the team to shape things up.

"I joined the Operation Hoodie team after meeting up with James Clegg to discuss ideas and to share my own knowledge through my previous fundraising for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. James attended my 2006 fundraising event and must have been impressed as he asked me to be OH Events Manager! I feel honoured to have this position within the team and the fact that I'm doing something I love for such a worthwhile cause is a huge bonus. I just hope I can live up to expectations and help Operation Hoodie achieve the success the team deserves." Clare Williams Operation Hoodie Events Manager

"When I first heard of the plans for Operation Hoodie, I really thought that it would be a fantastic opportunity to be part of such a wonderful idea. So far it has proved to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. I'm excited about the future for Operation Hoodie, I'm thoroughly enjoying the experience and working with new people." Sophie Cairns Website Administration

Slowly and surely, the Operation Hoodie idea was becoming a realistic dream, but the team was in serious need of a website. Enter Tracey Petherbridge.

For months the team was in serious need of someone who could develop the Operation Hoodie website, but do this at no charge. So it was a dream come true, when "Communications Design" employee Tracey Petherbridge, stepped forward and offered her support. Much of what you see was designed by Tracey and her work over the past months was a big step in our journey.

To date, Operation Hoodie have attracted support from some well respected celebrities. Operation Hoodie's first hoodie success, took place at the Soccer AM studios in London. Vause, accompanied by Soccerette and close friend Lauren Siddall and brother Daniel Siddall, managed to convince the Soccer AM staff and England soccer player Peter Crouch to wear our hoodies. For Operation Hoodie this was a great start, and has been consolidated recently with a trip to Yorkshire County Cricket club, where some of the world's greatest Cricket players wore the coveted Cancer Research UK hoodie.

Along the way, there have been countless meetings, losses and much more which we have been unable to include. Either way, we are over the moon we have got this far, and now strongly believe that the success of Operation Hoodie is in your hands. We sincerely hope you make Operation Hoodie your appeal, helping us shape the appeals future and of course ensure we raise maximal funds and awareness for Cancer Research UK.

Thank you for your support
The Operation Hoodie Team