Jack Wilshere, Arsene Wenger and entire squad donate day's wages to Arsenal Foundation as club legend Bob Wilson hails organisation

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Jack Wilshere, Arsene Wenger and Bob Wilson have hailed the work of The Arsenal Foundation ahead of the club's annual tradition of players and their French manager donating a day's wages to the cause.

Arsenal will be collecting cash for the foundation against Newcastle at the Emirates on Saturday.

The Arsenal Foundation is a fundraising and grant-making organisation designed to grow the reach and effect of the programmes the club supports to help an increasing number of young people near and far fulfil their potential and help their communities thrive.

The much-loved former Arsenal keeper Bob Wilson is backing The Arsenal Foundation day

Bob played 308 games for the Gunners before coaching Arsenal keepers for 28 years

Wenger spoke in praise of the special day saying: 'It’s an important quality at our club to be able to contribute. It’s part of the historical values of our club and we are very happy to contribute on our side on a day like that [to the Arsenal Foundation Day on Saturday].

'I think every year we show how much we care. The Arsenal Foundation does a great job.'

Much-loved Arsenal legend Bob Wilson paid tribute to the club and its legions of helpers who will have their buckets at the ready come rain or shine on Saturday ahead of the Premier League clash against Rafa Benitez's Magpies in North London.

Wilson is also know for his ceaseless work for his much-admired charity The Willow Foundation

Bob in action at Anfield in 1973 also backs a book called Glove Story which supports Willow  

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is donating a day's wages to The Arsenal Foundation 

He told the Islington Gazette: 'It's a great cause.

'I'm proud to be an ambassador for the foundation. They do such a large amount of good work in the community both in North London and far further afield. 

'I would urge fans to give any loose change they may have when they're at the game against Newcastle and help support such a worthy organisation.'

The former keeper's link to the North London giants stretches back more than five decades. He made 308 appearances and spent almost 30 years with the club as a coach as well as his charity and community work. 

Arsenal's Jack Wilshere also supports the event. He said: 'Together we can make a difference'

He was an ever-present in Bertie Mee’s double-winning side of 1970-71 and when he was goalkeeping coach he worked with Pat Jennings, John Lukic and of course David Seaman, before turning his attention to charity with the Willow Foundation – set up in memory of his daughter Anna.

The Arsenal Foundation have also helped Bob and his wife Megs charity, The Willow Foundation, the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to fulfil uplifting and unforgettable Special Days.

Bob added: 'The funding Willow receive from The Arsenal Foundation is crucial in terms of helping us provide these special days for young people. We are delighted to have the club’s support. It makes a big difference in the numbers of people we are able to help.' 

Arsenal keeper Petr Cech has also helped to publicise Saturday's Arsenal Foundation Day

Goalkeeper Petr Cech has also helped publicise the collection after being filmed catching pennies and dropping them into buckets for donation.

While Jack Wilshere - who Wenger labelled an 'Arsenal man' on Friday - tweeted his support of this weekend's event, writing: 'Together we can make a difference.' 

The club's charity work has also seen Hector Bellerin, Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and Theo Walcott visit the Teenage Cancer Trust, one of the organisations supported by the club's foundation.

David Ospina also paid a visit to Centrepoint earlier this month to help raise awareness. Centrepoint is a charity in the United Kingdom which provides accommodation and support to homeless people aged 16–25 with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge being a patron since 2005. 

Earlier in the year, Hector Bellerin gave around £19,000 to help Grenfell Tower fire victims, while Arsenal raised more than £1m for the same cause from the Community Shield match against Chelsea at Wembley. 

To learn more about The Willow Foundation and the work they do click here.