KitAid Monthly Update – May 2023

May was another busy month and we are now even closer to the milestone millionth item of donated kit.

Total items sent out in May = 7,910

Total items sent out in 2023 = 51,125

Total items sent out since 1998 = 985,022

Required items to reach 1 Million = 14,978

It is looking likely that we will reach the 1 Millionth item in early August and plans are currently afoot on how to recognise this amazing achievement.

Boxing Up – Hatfield, 17 June

Unfortunately this seems to be the weekend that everyone has decided to go away as so far we only have 13 helpers, which isn’t really enough.

If you received the invitation but are still to reply, could you please let me know if you can or cannot make it.

If you didn’t receive the invitation but are able to join us in Hatfield I would really appreciate it. If we can find seven more helpers it would make things a lot easier and we need to clear the storeroom at Hatfield.

25 for 25 Challenge

A massive well done and thanks to Antonia, our Bristol Regional Co-ordinator, on completing her challenge and also raising an amazing £610 for KitAid. Antonia ran 2.5 km for 25 consecutive days and incredibly ran each session in 25 minutes.

Karen, one of our long term volunteers has also started her challenge and ran her first of 25 sessions in Amsterdam! I suspect the remaining runs will be a bit more hilly!

Peter D, another long term volunteer, has also started and he added to the International theme by swimming in the warmer waters in sunny Spain.

Barrie N has continued his challenge of visiting 25 different grounds across Essex and he is getting some great publicity, he had a full page article in the May issue of the non league “Grassroots Magazine”

The “25 for 25” Challenge will run throughout this year, so if you want to sign up and create your own challenge, which doesnt have to be a physical one, please let me know.

25th Anniversary Celebration

Since the last update all 120 tickets have been allocated and thanks to Ian we have found a really good singer to serenade us. The Audio Visual issue has also been resolved.

I am planning on meeting up with the venue rep soon and I will then email everyone to gather any dietary requirements,

Auction and Raffle prizes

We need to hold both of these to meet the venue costs and any help in donating prizes would be really good.

For the Auction we are in need of some “experience” type prizes, such as tickets for a match/show etc

For the raffle, the usual type bottle or voucher type of prize.

Please let me know if you can help.

National Volunteers Week

This week is the official week to celebrate all of our volunteers and on behalf of the KitAid Trustees, I would like to thank all of you for the fantastic support you give to our wonderful charity. Without your support we would not exist and nearly One Million people would be less well supported. THANK YOU.

The following message from the Norton Times in Harare captures your efforts wonderfully

“Hear it from me. I am in Norton, Zimbabwe. Keep up the good work. You are not serving soccer. You are saving it!”

Hope to see some of you in June.

Take care

Derrick