Huge milestone for RAF team’s appeal
RAF Shawbury’s ‘Taking Football to Africa and Beyond’ appeal has reached a huge milestone despite a difficult year.
The team at RAF Shawbury have been delivering donated football kits to people all over Africa and beyond since 2006 and have now delivered its quarter millionth item.
The project aims to deliver ‘aid through football’ through donated items to impoverished areas of the world.
The appeal, organised by Wing Commander Neil Hope MBE, collects donated football kit from organisations, clubs and individuals across the UK and re-distributes them across the globe to those less fortunate.
The appeal operates from RAF Shawbury through the RAF Football Association.
Neil said the project has been so successful despite a challenging year for everyone.
“The appeal, which began at RAF Shropshire back in 2006, has recently passed the incredible milestone of delivering its quarter millionth item of football kit in a delivery destined for Kenya,” he said.
“To date the appeal has delivered 265,000 items, including 78,000 football shirts to people in 58 countries worldwide.
"Kenya is the biggest recipient for the kit with most being distributed in the slum towns of Kibera, Kibagare and Mathare, but, in more than 19 deliveries in 2020 items have gone to children and adults in The Gambia, Ghana, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Nepal and Zimbabwe.
“2020 was been a difficult year due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, but this has made our deliveries more important than ever for those living on the breadline in the slum towns of Africa and beyond.
“Whilst many schools and clubs utilise the equipment, they are also able to use the surplus kit to swap or sell for food and essentials. It is down to the fabulous donations that we are able to provide this essential aid.”
In 2020 kits were donated by clubs from across the United Kingdom, including Premier League clubs such as Leicester City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa and Manchester United (through the Manchester United Foundation). They were also donated from other EFL clubs.
Closer to home the appeal has received huge backing from Roland Wycherley and Shrewsbury Town FC as well as from the Shrewsbury Town in the Community and many local clubs including Shawbury United, Madeley Sports, Shrewsbury Up and Comers and Shropshire FA.
Over the years Neil has organised delivery trips to Kenya and Nepal, with all travellers paying their own way.
Neil has completed 13 Kenya trips taking over 70 volunteers with him, as well as four Nepal trips over the years.
He added: “When you see the massive positive effect, it has in the slums and villages in Africa and the mountain villages of Nepal, as well as other places, you realise the impact football can have.”
