A football shirt charity based in North Shropshire is celebrating yet another hugely successful year.

The Taking Football to Africa and Beyond Appeal operates from Royal Air Shawbury and collects donations of football shirts and kit for re-distribution to less privileged adults and children across the globe. In 2024 the appeal distributed close to 8500 football shirts and over 21500 other items of kit and clothing (approx. 30000 items altogether) to countries across the world. This included some countries receiving their first donations, such as Antigua & Barbuda, Georgia, Cambodia, Somaliland, Moldova and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

The appeal began in 2006 and continues to grow, delivering kit to 68 different countries to date, with full totals now at 401238 items, including 113067 shirts. Professional and grass-roots clubs, schools and individuals from across the United Kingdom continue to assist in ensuring the success of the appeal by donating their unwanted kit, often in large amounts. Major donations in 2024 included Colchester United, Aston Villa, The FA (England), Leicester City, Rawmarsh St Joseph’s JFC, Wolverhampton Wanderers, QPR, Arsenal, Essex FA, Hampshire FA, Huntingdonshire FA, Worcestershire FA and many others.

The appeal, run by Sqn Ldr Mark Smales and Wg Cdr (Retd) Neil Hope MBE relies on the goodwill and help of many people in the UK and across the world, especially in Kenya (BATUK and Braeburn Garden Estate School) and Nepal (The Gurkha Welfare Trust) where a significant amount of the kit is donated.

In January 2024, the appeal assisted in the creation of Lottie’s Way – The Charlotte Hope Foundation. The Foundation, in memory of Neil’s 19-year-old daughter aims to raise funds in Lottie’s name that will be allocated to organisations assisting in ensuring the provision of education and feeding of less privileged children worldwide.  Whilst the shirts appeal will always be inherently linked to Lottie’s Way it continues to operate in a purely non-financed model.

Neil said, “I am extremely proud to see the success of the appeal over so many years. Our links to Lottie’s Way allow us to celebrate Charlotte’s short life, which was cruelly taken from us by a drug driver, due to her links to the appeal, something she tirelessly assisted with, and to her efforts in volunteering in Kenya. Hopefully the continued efforts of both the Appeal and the Charity will help so many others. Appeal wise, due my recent retirement from the RAF after 42 years the lead has been handed to Mark, with whom I will continue to work. We were so pleased to pass many milestones this year including a very successful Kenya delivery trip and passing the incredible 400000 items.”

After taking over the lead Mark said, “I am extremely honoured and humbled that Neil has entrusted me with continuing the amazing work that has been achieved so far. Having visited Kenya several times I’ve witnessed first hand the joy and hope that something as simple as a football shirt can bring, and so I appreciate the importance of what the appeal does. Luckily I have Neil’s experience and support to rely on as we seek to go from strength to strength and achieve even more success.”

Links:

Taking Football to Africa and Beyond Appeal - TFTAAB

Lottie’s Way – The Charlotte Hope Foundation - Lottie's Way