WATCH: Full Monty star Robert Carlyle sends message to Sheffield dad and mates ahead of charity strip show
A Sheffield dad and his team of scaffolders left the crowd screaming for more at their very own Full Monty charity strip night.
Matt Shepherd, aged 33, and his construction crew gave the performance of a lifetime as they bared all on stage at an adults-only fundraising night at Colley Working Men’s Club on Margetson Road.
In their own spin on the classic Sheffield film’s closing scene, the six strapping lads gave it their all in a routine set to Tom Jones’ ‘You Can Keep Your Hat On’ as the crowd of ladies whistled and cheered.
The incredible ladies-only evening has so far raised £3,400 in honour of Matt’s little girl Lillia, five, who has the progressive and life-limiting mitochondrial disease known as Leigh syndrome.
Matt’s partner and Lillia’s mum Emma Webster, who spent weeks organising the night, said: “We’re just so overwhelmed by the support.
“I’m so proud of the lads, but they’re proud of themselves too for doing it. Everybody loved it – the crowd was going wild.
“If I could do it all again tomorrow I would. It was a brilliant night.”
Together with the cash brought in through Lillia’s JustGiving page, it means the couple have raised over £7,200 for support charity My Mito Mission since February alone.
And, to top it off, their amazing fundraising effort was supercharged when Full Monty star Robert Carlyle tweeted his support for the show.
“I hear a group of lads are doing the REAL Full Monty tonight in Sheffield,” wrote the film star on Friday, along with a link to Lillia’s fundraising page.
“They're raising funds and awareness for Mitochondrial disease…and for one brave little girl in particular…the lovely Lilia! Good luck to Matt and pals!”
Emma says since the tweet, they have had donations from as far as Spain and Australia.
It comes as filming is underway in Sheffield for The Full Monty limited series on Disney+, which will reunite Robert Carlyle and the original cast.
“We actually got a call on the Friday from the producers to wish us luck,” said Emma. “That alone made my day.
“We can’t thank everyone enough for their support.
“Now, we’ve got to think of what we can do to top it.”
The evening at Colley WMC, in Parson Cross, was supported by a charity raffle, topless waiters and a drag artist.
Emma and Matt sold out on all 250 tickets for the night in a matter of weeks when they went on sale.
The hardworking couple have been fundraising for mitochondrial disease support charity My Mito Mission since they were given Lillia’s diagnosis last October.
Currently, there is no cure or treatment for Lillia’s mitochondrial disease. It is a rare, progressive and life-limiting condition.
“There just isn’t much awareness for the disease out there,” said Emma. “We want to raise awareness and raise funds so that someone one day can find a cure.
“Knowing there’s no treatment is really hard on the family. She has an eight-year-old brother who idolizes her.
“Last October we finally got a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease. Really, it has been a very hard, long road to get answers. But you cannot prepare yourself for it.”