
The Bio-Brotbox organisation has been active for many years in numerous German cities and regions in promoting healthy child nutrition. The campaign involves giving first year schoolchildren reusable lunch boxes with ingredients from organic farming. Bayer 04 have supported this campaign in Leverkusen in recent years and have often been directly involved in filling the boxes at NaturGut Ophoven. CEO Michael Schade, Wendell (pictured above in 2016 with the mayor Uwe Richrath) and Stefan Kießling have all helped to fill the lunch boxes with healthy items.
This year, Bayer 04 are supporting the thirteenth campaign in Leverkusen. The club has donated 1,800 muesli bars for the boxes to be handed to 1,620 first years shortly after they start school at the beginning of September. The communal packing event will certainly involve another member of the Werkself when the date is confirmed.
This year’s patron also has a very close connection to Bayer 04: Wilfried Schmickler (63),born in Hitdorf, is a cabaret artist and has always been a passionate supporter of the Black and Reds. “A healthy diet helps children feel good and learn well. Education is the most important issue at the moment where there is still a lot to achieve,” said Schmickler at the campaign press conference.

The Werkself conceded a goal at home for the first time since the beginning of January 67 minutes into the game against FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday. Jarell Quansah levelled late on for the final score of 1-1 to secure a point and avoid a first home defeat in six games. Bayer 04 were very critical of their performance after the game. The Werkself review.
Show more
Rüdiger Vollborn has been at the club for 40 years, he holds the record number of Bundesliga appearances for the club (401) and is the only Bayer 04 player to have won both the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Pokal (1993). And the Berliner stayed with the Werkself after ending his impressive playing career as he worked as a goalkeeping coach for the following nine years. Vollborn now works under the Bayer Cross as a fan liaison officer and club archivist. Since February 2021, the personalised Black and Red lexicon takes Werkself fans under the heading of 'Rudi recounts...' on a brief trip through the history of Bayer 04 every month…
Show more
From special edition jerseys to fan banners, the home game against Mainz 05 was all about the many Bayer 04 fan clubs. Accordingly, a fitting tribute to the long-standing Werkself supporters was not to be missed during half-time in the Bundesliga match. Fernando Carro, CEO, honoured the up to 50-year anniversaries of six fan clubs in front of the coaches' benches at the BayArena.
Show more
Werkself TV shows the highlights of Bayer 04's 1-1 draw against Mainz 05 on Matchday 24 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season...

A late goal secured a point for Bayer 04 at home to FSV Mainz 05 in a match that saw the Black and Reds dominant in the second half. Despite lots of possession, the Werkself initially found few gaps and fell behind after 67 minutes when Sheraldo Becker scored in a Mainz counter-attack. In the closing stages, Leverkusen threw everything forward once again and equalised through Jarell Quansah (88').
Show more