Boots For Africa News
Children and teachers from Anns Grove Primary School, Sheffield have supported Sheffield FC’s Boots for Africa campaign.
The Children had a wear your kit to school day and paid to wear their favourite football shirts. A collection of old boots and trainers also took place to aid Sheffield FC’s Charity.
Community Manager Lee Walshaw spent a day in Anns Grove speaking to the classes about the collection and how their boots will change the lives of the Children. The day tied in with the work the children had been doing on anti racism in school. Lee said, “The school does a lot of work with Sheffield FC and are always looking to work in the local community. The boots they have donated will be in Africa next week and all the children have written letters which we will pass on to the children around Johannesburg. Hopefully this will be the start of a relationship for years to come.”
The picture shows a few of the children with some of the boots collected.
Castleford Tigers Rugby League Club and local car dealership Polar Ford have joined forces to support Sheffield FC's Boots for Africa charity. Robert Ruffler, Business Development Manager at Polar Ford, has been the driving force behind the move to gain support from local rugby league clubs to collect boots.
If you live in or around the Castleford area and have any old or unwanted football or rugby boots lying around your home or club, please drop them off at Polar Ford’s Castleford showroom, Junction 32, M62, Park Road Castleford, WF10 4RJ.
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Brentwood School Preparatory pupils have been bringing in their old football boots to send them to children in Africa who are less fortunate than them. The school has collected nearly 300 pairs of football boots in all shapes, sizes and colours and they will now be cleaned and sent to children to provide opportunities for them and their communities to have fun playing football.
The pupils were visited today by the Boots for Africa Project Manager, Rory Slater from Sheffield FC who came to thank the pupils and pick up the overflowing bags of boots. Rory explained that the charity began out of a South African township where Sheffield FC Chairman Richard Tims dreamed of doing something to help change the face of football for those living in Africa. Seeing Children playing the game in their bare feet on rubble strewn pavements left Richard asking what can be done to help. It was obvious to him those kicking a ball to each other shared the same passion and love millions of more fortunate fans around the globe have for the sport.
Rory commented: "Football is at the heart of many African communities and brings people together, I'd like to thank the pupils of Brentwood Preparatory School for their generous donation of 300 football boots and £183, (which they raised by having a Cake Sale). These boots will make a real difference to the children's lives and will offer a generation of young people affected by poverty, poor health and lack of opportunity a new sense of hope, pride and ambition for themselves and for their country".
The Boots for Africa appeal sent 5000 boots to Africa last year and hope to quadruple that number this year. South Africa will be hosting the World Cup next year so these boots are very timely
Newcastle United legend and former England striker Les Ferdinand has launched Boots for Africa - a unique campaign to raise 50,000 pairs of football boots to deprived children in South Africa.
Ferdinand, who scored five goals in 17 appearances for his country, began the campaign with scores of youngsters attending a soccer fun camp at the Complete Football Centre in Gosforth.
Boots for Africa has been devised by Sheffield FC - the world's first football club - with the aim of gaining support from schools and junior clubs from across the North East and Yorkshire.
Ferdinand said: "I'm delighted to support the Boots for Africa campaign. The appeal is a brilliant way for children in the UK to share the game of football with the children of Africa.
"I'm very happy to be getting involved in what I think is a really worthwhile charity. I have experienced the inspiration and sense of achievement that football can bring and this campaign is helping to give the same opportunity to children in Africa.
"Sharing football boots is such a simple but effective way of improving the quality of football for these children.
"I wish Boots for Africa the best of luck in delivering as many pairs of football boots as possible."
The campaign plans to deliver thousands of cleaned-up football boots and help make the game more accessible to young people in South Africa ahead of the 2010 World Cup. Junior clubs and members of the public can donate their wearable boots of any size to the campaign by making a £2 donation to receive their boots pack.
Sheffield FC chairman Richard Tims added: "Africa will be staging the World Cup in 2010 for the first time in the competition's history and we felt this gave an opportunity for everyone to make a difference to the future of the game.
"Sheffield FC and indeed England is seen as where the game truly began. We want to use this standing to again sow the seeds for the next generation of players and ultimately create a knock-on affect for the World Cup.
"These boots may be the children's first ever pair and each will offer a generation of young people a new sense of hope, pride and ambition.
"We hope junior clubs, schools and members of the public across the North East and Yorkshire will support this unique campaign and help us achieve our target of raising more than 50,000 pairs of boots."
Boots for Africa has already received support from the English Football Association, FIFA, the African Football Confederation, the South African Sports Trust and the South African High Commission.
McDonald's are also founding partners of Boots for Africa, helping to increase awareness of the unique campaign. Steve Easterbrook, President and Chief Executive of McDonald's UK says: "The Boots for Africa appeal is a fantastic initiative and McDonald's is delighted to be teaming up with Sheffield FC to add real value to what is a great cause."
For teams or clubs wanting to donate more than one pair of boots, a special group donation pack has been produced to assist them.
For more information about how to donate to Boots for Africa, please email
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or phone 0191 222 0440.
