Most months are busy for KitAid but October has been off the scale in terms of the amount of kit donated and received. Here are the latest totals

Total amount of kit donated in October         20,825 items

Total amount of kit donated in 2022               92,280 items

Total amount of kit donated since 1998         913,232 items

We also donated kit to projects in Colombia and Ecuador for the first time.

As you will see, this means that we are now in the final straight to reach our dream milestone of donating 1 Million items of kit. We should definitely get there next year in our 25th Anniversary year.

 

Boxing Up – Hatfield and Liverpool

After a break of six months in Hatfield and three years in Liverpool, we have held two sessions in successive weekends and they were both wonderful.

The first one at Hatfield went like clockwork and it is hard to believe we were ever away. It was also really lovely to meet some of the Regional Coordinators who came for the first time, Antonia and Izzy from Bristol and Chris from Carterton. We would love to see more of you at each session so please do consider a visit if you can as you will get to meet the team and see how your donations make a difference.

The session at Liverpool was also great and a big thank you to Richie and Paul from the Everton Heritage Society, the volunteers from Everton in the Community and to Trustee Janet. We also welcomed RC Lindsay from Durham for her first visit, who set off at 5-00am to get to Liverpool on time, and she brought some work colleagues from Value-Match to help boost the numbers.

It is great to be able to hold boxing up sessions again and thank you to everyone who helped. There should be another session in December at Hatfield and probably Spring time in Liverpool.

 

KitAid Supporters Cup – 12th November, 3-00pm Leverstock Green FC

This is a new event and a trial to see how it works out.  If it is a success we can expand things next year to include more KitAid supporting Clubs.

The match will be between Leverstock Green FC and Aylesbury Vale Dynamoes FC, who both play in the Spartan South Midlands League, which is Step 5 of Non League Football. Both Clubs have been supportive of KitAid and the AVD manager is a friend from my time at the WFC Community Trust. He suggested making the game into a KitAid event and both Clubs have agreed. We have bought a lovely Cup to present to the winners on 12 November.

If you are within travelling distance we would love to see you there. Leverstock Green is just outside Hemel Hempstead and very close to the M1, Junction 8.  It is a lovely Club with a Clubhouse and free parking. Entry is £8 but less for anyone of a certain age and juniors.

 

25th Anniversary

Following on from the email and your replies we have formed a small committee to investigate some potential events.

We have narrowed things down to three main events/activities.

25th Anniversary Celebration – Listening to your feedback we have decided against a formal black tie dinner due to the cost of living situation, but instead, are looking at a less formal gathering along the lines of our last event in 2018.  This will be dependent on us getting sponsorship and we are currently waiting to hear from Affinity Water, who have agreed to contact some potential supporters.

25 for 25 – This received positive feedback and it is something that can run throughout the whole year. It will be a sponsored event where supporters can choose from a number of challenges, all based around the 25 theme. So for example, swim 25 lengths, stop drinking alcohol for 25 days, walk 25 miles or simply donate £25. It is unlimited really and people can choose their own 25 themed activity.

2023 Calendar – We wanted to include this as a calendar is on display throughout the whole year. We are planning to use the same company as last time, so they only print to order and there is no risk of us being left with unsold calendars.  If things go to plan we should be able to start selling them in November and details will follow.

There will also be special 25th Anniversary and badges and polo shirts for sale.

 

San Marino FA

Just one of the many great things about KitAid is the strange contacts and offers of support we receive!

I received an email from someone at the San Marino FA asking if they could support our work. They have a number of shirts donated by their fans which they want to pass on to us and then to create a partnership. You may be aware that San Marino hardly ever win a game and I think they are close to the bottom of the FIFA World Rankings. This in itself appealed to me, to think that despite their lack of success they want to help develop football in Africa.

 

FOMO/KitAid League – Mulanje District – Malawi

As you know we have a very close partnership with FOMO Malawi and the KitAid FC U14/U17 teams.

Mary Woodworth who is the driving force behind all of the FOMO sporting events has decided to set up her own district league for football and netball. It will involve 80 teams across all districts and circa 1,200 children. This is something the Malawi FA should really be doing but Mary has taken it on as sadly they are not proactive.

KitAid will be supplying all of the children with kits and we are also looking to make a donation towards the £3,000 running costs. If anyone knows of a grant making body who can also contribute towards this great project please let me know.

 

Barry Lenton

Many of you will be aware of or know Barry, the KitAid super collector from Crosby! He is also the club historian for AFC Marine an an author.  He also taught Jamie Carragher Geography!!

He has now collected over 21,500 items of kit for us and I was finally able to catch up with him and present a trophy in recognition of this amazing achievement. Barry has also kept a spreadsheet which details every item and from which club the donation was made.

Many thanks Barry – you are a superstar.

 

Well I think that is everything on my October list, apart from to thank all of you for your ongoing support. Many thanks to all of the Regional Co-ordinators who do such a fantastic job in the background collecting and storing kit for us. Also to those who are able to deliver the kit to either Hatfield or Hemel Hempstead, saving us a £150 courier collection fee.

 

Have a good November and do look out for the pictures and updates on @kitaid Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 

Many thanks

Derrick