Taking Football to Africa Appeal records record year
A charitable appeal that delivers football kit to children across the globe has had the most successful year since it was set up.
The RAF Taking Football to Africa and Beyond appeal has been run from RAF Shawbury in North Shropshire since 2006.
As it marks 2023 as its most successful year yet – bringing to total number of football kit items given away worldwide to 371,000 – the appeal will come under the wing of another charity, being set up in memory of Charlotte Hope.
Lottie's Way has been created as a legacy to 19-year-old Charlotte, who was killed by a dangerous driver in 2022.
Her father Wing Commander Neil Hope, who is based at RAF Shawbury, is one of the founders of the RAF Taking Football to Africa and Beyond appeal, along with Squadron Leader Mark Smales.
Charlotte had helped with the appeal, and had also travelled to Kenya where she carried out charitable voluntary work with children rescued from the streets.
Her ambitions had been to return to the country as a teacher and to volunteer with the Restart charity.
Wg Cdr Hope said Lottie's Way had recently reached the £5k target required to gain charitable status – and will now be registered.
More than £50k already raised in the wake of Charlotte's death is being used to fund children through university in Kenya – with the first four already studying Medicine, IT and Teaching.
Reporting on the 2023 success of the Taking Football to Africa and Beyond, Wg Cdr Hope said 31 deliveries had been made to 15 countries across the world.
Along with 371,000 items of kit being delivered since the start of the appeal, a total of 104,000 football shirts have gone to 63 countries worldwide.
Kenya was the largest recipient for the 2023 appeal, through the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) and Braeburn Garden Estate School in Nairobi.
Kits delivered included items donated by football teams and individuals from across the United Kingdom, including The Football Association, 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 from 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.
The appeal team visited Kenya in April 2023 with a mixed military and civilian group of 16 people and completed 34 separate visits in and around Nairobi and in Gilgil, two hours north of the capital on the Great Rift Valley.
In total, the team delivered 19,000 items including 5,800 football shirts.
In completing the deliveries, the team met children and adults in the major slum areas of Kibera, Kibagare and Mathare, as well as schools, orphanages and football teams who were all in need of essential, life changing aid.
In Gilgil, the team spent two nights at the Restart Centre, founded by Mary Coulson MBE, where Charlotte had previously volunteered.
While there the Hearts of Ruiru team organised a tournament in Charlotte’s name, with the appeal providing trophies and kits.
Wg Cdr Hope said that they were thrilled at the success of the appeal, and were now looking forward to providing a legacy for Charlotte through the new Lottie's Way charity.
He said: "This continuing success of the appeal is incredible. The hard work of a small team of volunteers is exemplary.
"It has been incredible to also raise such substantial funds for the brilliant Restart Centre.
"The amount raised will change the lives of so many youngsters who were rescued from the streets.
"The beginning of Lottie’s Way will be a wonderful legacy for our beautiful daughter Charlotte.
"Charlotte assisted with the appeal and completed a huge amount of charity and volunteering work.
"She was a caring young woman with her whole life in front of her.
"Lottie’s Way will now be the lead as the charity and the Taking Football to Africa and Beyond Appeal will be incorporated into the charity but will not receive any funding.
"All funds raised will go direct to those who need it, through the agreement of its trustees."
