Arsene Wenger and Matt Lucas celebrate Arsenal raising over half a million for autism charity TreeHouse

Arsenal Manager Arsène Wenger and Little Britain's Matt Lucas joined forces at the Emirates Cup this weekend to celebrate a record-breaking fundraising achievement for TreeHouse, the Club's Charity of the Season 2007/08.

Thanks to the overwhelming support for the partnership from fans, players, directors and staff of the Club, Arsenal raised an impressive £519,541 for the national charity for autism education. The sum raised smashes all previous fundraising totals for Arsenals Charity of the Season initiative, which has been running for five years.

The north London charity, based just three miles from Emirates Stadium, was announced as Arsenal's Charity of the Season in August 2007 when the Club pledged to raise £250,000 during the course of the partnership to fund sports facilities within their new National Centre for Autism Education. The Centre's construction commenced in April 2007, and with help from Arsenal, the building is nearing completion.

The amount raised is testament to the many innovative fundraising activities co-ordinated throughout the 12 month partnership, including the Be A Gooner. Be A Giver campaign, launched at the charity's dedicated matchday of Arsenal v Chelsea in December 2007. The campaign aimed to engage Arsenal's global family of supporters led by all first team players and directors donating a day's wages to TreeHouse. Supporters were encouraged to join them and donate what they could, and an impressive £140,000 was raised in just one day.

Other highlights of the partnership included William Gallas and Cesc Fabregas visiting TreeHouse School joining Arsenal fan and renowned author Nick Hornby, a founding parent of TreeHouse - and Matt Lucas. The foursome took part in Fantastic Feet, an activity which involved them creating artwork with the help of TreeHouse pupils with their feet. Some of the artwork created will find a home within the new state-of-the-art Centre while others were auctioned at TreeHouses charity ball, The Ambition Ball, in May 2008 fetching an impressive £5,000.

Speaking of the partnership, Arsenal Manager Arsène Wenger said: "We are delighted to have smashed our target of raising £250,000 for TreeHouse through the partnership, as well as building awareness and understanding of autism education. The dedication of the parents and staff of TreeHouse has been phenomenal and all should be proud of the amazing work I have seen this ambitious charity do. The supporters have been fantastic with their involvement, and generosity, and it is thanks to them that TreeHouse can enjoy brand new sports facilities within their new home. On behalf of Arsenal, I wish the children, staff and parents of TreeHouse all the best in their new building.

Director of Fundraising, Marketing & Communication at TreeHouse, Susan Beck, said: "When Arsène came to TreeHouse and announced the £250,000 target, we felt so excited but daunted by the task ahead, as this was the most ambitious target that Arsenal had ever set. To not only reach this target, but to double it, is phenomenal. It is testament to the staff at Arsenal, who have been an absolute pleasure to work with, but also to the generosity of the team, manager, directors and thousands of supporters who got behind Be A Gooner. Be A Giver. The £500,000 raised will make a monumental difference toTreeHouse, as we've for the first time been able to secure a permanent building, from which we can now reach thousands of children with autism and their families. We can't thank the wonderful Arsenal enough."

Speaking at the presentation, Matt Lucas said: "Im so proud that Arsenal has been able to raise this amount of money for TreeHouse. It's been a pleasure to see the partnership from beginning to end, being so closely involved and seeing first hand the wonderful work the charity does for autism education. It was great to be part of the presentation today and I wish the charity good luck for the opening of its new Centre."

Nick Hornby added: "There have been times during this partnership when we have had to pinch ourselves. I never thought I would see my son Danny, who is a pupil at TreeHouse, up on the big screens at Emirates Stadium. I certainly never thought I would get used to seeing him up there. TreeHouse has changed the lives of all of the children lucky enough to attend the school; this year, Arsenal has been a huge part of that."

The partnership extended itself to more than just fundraising with Arsenal in the Community coaches taking up the opportunity to learn some new skills when they hosted a football activity day with TreeHouse at the Club's Hale End training facilities. The coaches received training from TreeHouse staff in teaching children with autism so that they were able to lead the session, and coach football skills to TreeHouse pupils alongside peers from a mainstream school which is partnered with the charity. The coaches involved will continue to share their new skills as Arsenal in the Community will coach TreeHouse pupils in the new National Centre for Autism Educations sports facilities.

With the new season commencing on 16 August 2008, TreeHouse will be handing the Charity of the Season baton to Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity dedicated to helping teenagers fight cancer.