Nearly 6,000 football shirts taken to Kenya as county appeal makes emotional 10-day trip

A county charity which takes football kit to Africa has completed its biggest mission yet.

Neil and Chris Hope with youngsters in their new Shrewsbury shirts at Saidia Children’s home in Gilgil

The RAF Football Association Taking Football to Africa and Beyond Charitable Appeal, based at RAF Shawbury, has been running for 17 years – delivering football kits to children and adults.

Led by Wing Commander Neil Hope MBE and Squadron Leader Mark Smales, the team has just completed an emotional 10-day trip to Kenya, where they handed over 19,000 items, including 5,800 football shirts.

This year's trip was particularly poignant, being the first since the death of Wg Cdr Hope's 19-year-old daughter, Charlotte, who was killed by a dangerous driver last year.

Her mother Helen was also seriously injured in the same incident.

Charlotte had taken part in previous trips, had volunteered in the country, and also had ambitions to move there and teach after graduating.

The team taking part in the trip included Charlotte's brother Chris, and her friends, Abbie Barford, Sophie Goodwin, and Alanis Anderson.

The appeal was originally set up in 2006 to deliver football kit to Africa.

It quickly became global and to date has delivered 348,570 items of kit, including more than 98,000 football shirts to 63 countries worldwide.

Wg Cdr Hope said they had been pleased to be able to hand over so many items with their latest trip, and thanked the team for their support during an emotional visit.

In total the group of 16 people completed 34 separate deliveries in and around Nairobi and in Gilgil, two hours north of the capital on the Great Rift Valley.

The deliveries saw the team visit the major slum areas of Kibera, Kibagare and Mathare as well as schools, orphanages and football teams.

Lanis Anderson with the children at Dr Krapf school in Eastlands – Home of Musa Otieno’s Soccer Academy.

Chris Skaife talking to children at Lizpal School in Ngando

Al Molloy showing the Appeal logo at the DEB School in Gilgil

A girl in her new Shrewsbury shirt at Saidia Children’s home in Gilgil.

Neil and Chris Hope at the Charlotte Hope Tournament held by the Hearts of Ruiru in Ruiru, Nairobi.

Lanis Anderson with children at the Charlotte Hope Tournament held by the Hearts of Ruiru in Ruiru, Nairobi.

The team at the trophy presentation at the Charlotte Hope Tournament, organised by the Hearts of Ruiru in Ruiru, Nairobi.

Lee, Ellesha and Taylor Wood at Salama Primary School in Mathare, Nairobi.

Children in their new QPR shirts at the Brain Academy in Mathare, Nairobi.

Abbie Barford and a youngster at the Starkids Academy in Githorogo, Nairobi.

Lanis Anderson and Mark Smales at the Starkids Academy in Githorogo, Nairobi.

Pip Wilson shows her football skills at the Dr Krapf School in Eastlands with a child from the Musa Otieno Academy in his QPR shirt.

At the Dr Krapf School in Eastlands – from left are, Sophie Goodwin, Pip Wilson, Abbie Barford, Mark Smales and Chris Skaife.

Sophie Goodwin with Musa Otieno at the Dr Krapf School in Eastlands – Musa is Kenya’s most capped player ever.

This youngster didn't look overly impressed in his new Barcelona shirt at Lizpal School in Ngando, Nairobi.

Abbie Barford and Sophie Goodwin representing their friend Charlotte Hope by wearing her team, Newcastle United's shirts. They met Ffion at the Restart Centre in Gilgil – a youngster Charlotte had met and built a relationship with during her visits to the centre.

A little boy in his new QPR shirt at Heri School in Riruta, Nairobi.

Charlotte's brother, Chris Hope, with children in new Leicester shirts at Stara School in Kibera, Nairobi.

Mary Coulson and the Restart team show off their new Port Vale kit at the Restart Centre in Gilgil.

Kibera is Africa’s largest slum with more than one million people living in an area of around three square kilometres with no permanent running water or electricity supplies, and no sewerage system.

Wg Cdr Hope said that during the visit to Gilgil they had spent two nights at the Restart Centre, founded by Mary Coulson MBE.

The centre has strong links to the appeal after Charlotte volunteered there for a month in 2019.

In a further tribute, the Hearts of Ruiru, a football side which the appeal team has worked with for many years, organised a tournament in Charlotte’s name – which the appeal provided trophies and kits for.

Kits delivered during the trip included items donated by football teams and individuals from across the United Kingdom.

They came from England – The Football Association, and Premier League clubs including Leicester City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa, and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The team also delivered a large amount of kit donated by the appeal’s local club, and one of its top links, Shrewsbury Town FC, as well as items donated by clubs throughout grassroots football, including county football associations, member clubs of Sheffield & Hallamshire CFA, Hampshire CFA, Essex CFA, Worcestershire CFA, and Wallsend Boys Club amongst many others.

Wg Cdr Hope said: "This delivery visit was superb in allowing the appeal to renew its friendships across Kenya.

"Building on our huge successes of 2022 coupled with this being my 17th Kenya delivery trip and now with more than 100 people taking part over the years was special, especially given the emotional issues in returning to the country and people my daughter cherished.

"Charlotte intended to gain her primary education degree and move to teach in Kenya to allow her to continue her voluntary work with the Restart Centre.

"The trip was emotionally difficult but made easier by the excellent team of people joining and supporting me.

"Helen and I continue to raise funds for the Restart Centre as a legacy to our beloved daughter.

"Helen is currently training with the aim of completing the Market Drayton 10km on May 7.

"I would like to thank all the people, clubs and schools that donated items delivered on this visit and to the appeal, as well as all who have helped us achieve this amazing success, especially the team at Shawbury who help with the appeal including Supply Receipt and Despatch and also at RAF Brize Norton, BATUK, and Braeburn Garden Estate School.

"The appeal has started 2023 strongly due mainly to the hard work of Mark Smales with 16 deliveries across the world completed to date, including new countries added with Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Georgia.

"So far, this year we have dispatched an incredible 14,711 items, including 4,528 shirts to nine countries. We look forward to continuing another exciting year."