KitAid Monthly Update – January 2024

I hope you are all well and settled into 2024.

January has been a very special month for KitAid with a memorable first boxing up session. Here are the highlights and the very latest despatch totals

Total items of kit donated in January – 6,945
Total items of kit donated since 1998 – 1,034,393

 

Boxing Up – Sir Mo Farah

Many of you were at the session on Saturday morning for what was the most memorable and wonderful boxing up in our history. Sir Mo was fantastic, he took time to chat to everyone, signed everything, posed for loads of photos and recorded voice messages with incredible enthusiasm. We couldn’t have asked for more and he even got involved in loading all of the vans.

When I spoke to him before the session he made it clear that he wants to give back now that he finally has time. A really humble and honorable man in every sense.

He received 85 boxes of kit and they will be used in Hargeisa, Somaliland at the end of March when he opens a new sports complex there. He said he didn’t just want to turn up, cut a ribbon and pose for a few photos. He is going to organise some tournaments to involve the local community.

A wonderful experience and the beauty of KitAid, we never know what the next email, message or call might bring!

 

Thank You certificates

Hopefully all of the regional coordinators reading this update have received the new 2024 certificates to hand out to kit donors. If you haven’t, could you please let me know.

Many thanks to Carole for designing the certificate and for arranging the printing, while she is away in New Zealand. The first batch was posted out on 5 January, which must be a new record.

 

London Football Ground Sponsored Walk – 20/21/22 March

This is a very unique challenge and many thanks to Chris, our Regional Coordinator for Aylesbury, for setting up the event.

I do think “challenge” is the right description as it is a 3 day walk, covering every EFL ground in London, starting at Arsenal on 20 March and finishing at Wembley Stadium a couple of days later. Chris will be joined by friends, including James, who is the Wycombe Wanderers correspondent for the Bucks Free Press, and a supporter of KitAid.

As the walk involves overnight stays Chris is looking to try and get some external sponsorship. If anyone knows of a company who might like to put their name to the event please let me know.

A Just Giving page has been created and Chris is hoping to raise £1,000 for KitAid, see https://www.justgiving.com/page/chris-turton-james-andteam1705612763068

If you would like to join Chris, it doesn’t have to be for the whole event, even a leisurely 3 mile wander from Chelsea to Fulham, will be appreciated. I will arrange a welcome home and congratulations party for their final stretch from Brentford to Wembley Stadium on 22 March.

 

Bill Antonio

This is a lovely story and one to make KitAid proud.

We have a picture of a teenage Bill wearing a Watford FC training top in Harare, Zimbabwe. A couple of weeks ago, Bill came on as a late substitute for Mechelen and scored the winning goal against KA Gent in the Belgian A League. This is hopefully the start of a long career for Bill and who knows, he could be wearing a Watford training shirt every day in the future!

 

International Sports Convention – 20/21 March

As previously mentioned, KitAid is the chosen charity partner for this prestigious convention at White Hart Lane.

ISC agreed to sponsor a couple of our projects and asked for some proposals, which we supplied. They have agreed to sponsor a Women and Girls Football project in Malawi, which will be overseen by our good friends FOMO Malawi. This will enable a womens team to enter the Southern Malawi Football League for the very first time. They have also agreed to sponsor the Chimpanzee Protection Tournament in Uganda later this year.

 

Well I never……!

Recently Johnny (Jefferson), our Regional Coordinator for Durham gave a KitAid presentation to a Scout Group in Whitley Bay.

Johnny’s son Jed went with him and he is currently in the TV series “Jamie Johnson FC”. The boys in the scout group wanted to meet him! He was also in the series “Dumping Ground”. I then found out that Dad Johnny was in the famous TV series “Byker Grove” along with Ant and Dec, and he played the part of Fraser Campbell!

Any other claims to fame from other Regional Coordinators gratefully received!!

 

A great start to 2024 and thanks very much to everyone for your support and time in keeping the KitAid journey on rack.

Many thanks
Derrick

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KitAid – 25th Anniversary Review

I hope you are all well and you all had a lovely Christmas break.

As we are fast approaching the end of 2023, our special year, I thought it would be appropriate to round it off with a summary of what we all achieved.

Total items of kit donated at start of 2023 – 933,897
Total items of kit donated at end of 2023 – 1,027,448
Total items of kit donated in 2023 – 93,551

In the January monthly update I set out four targets that I hoped KitAid could achieve by the end of December, as follows:-

  1. To reach One Million items of donated kit during the 25th Anniversary year.
  2. To celebrate our 25th Anniversary year with a party event.
  3. For KitAid to win an award in recognition of everyone’s efforts.
  4. To agree on a sustainable operating model beyond our 25th year.

Well we can certainly tick the boxes for the items 1 to 3 and number 4 still needs more discussion before coming to an agreement.

I think we can congratulate ourselves on meeting the first 3 targets and remember, we are just a small volunteer run charity operating on goodwill with a very small income.

 

Highlights of 2023

I have made a quick list and would be interested to hear from you if you have any others.

  • Design of a special 25th Anniversary logo
  • Production of a 25th Anniversary calendar
  • 25th Anniversary badge and polo shirts.
  • 25th Anniversary coin (for celebration evening attendees)
  • 25th Anniversary 20 page brochure.

 

Events

  • Attendance as an invited charity to the Liverpool FC Foundation Legends match at Anfield with a half time pitch side presentation of a special “25” shirt.
  • KitAid Supporters Cup presentation to Leverstock Green FC.
  • “25 for 25” Fundraising Challenge. Congratulations to Antonia, Karen, Peter, Matt, Barrie and Ben who between them raised £2,500 from their various Challenges.
  • 25th Anniversary Celebration evening at Watford FC. A memorable evening for 130 KitAid supporters from all over the UK which raised £4,000.
  • Gareth Southgate recognising our One Million milestone with the presentation of a special 1 Million England shirt.
  • Kit collection at Cambridge United FC.
  • Presentation of a Special Recognition Award by Hertfordshire FA.
  • Recognition by The FA in the Royal Box at Wembley prior to the England v Malta match.
  • A thank you from Sir Mo Farah for our support of projects in Somalia and Somaliland.
  • Self funded visits to our charity partners Ballysillan YFC in Belfast and to Diamonds in the Community in Airdrie.
  • KitAid sponsorship of the Belfast Football Camp, the FOMO Malawi Football/Netball Bonanza and the Bulindi Chimpanzee Protection Tournament amounting to £2,500 in total.

Looking ahead to 2024

  • First boxing up session with attendance from a very special guest. (27 Jan, Hatfield)
  • Attendance at the International Sports Convention event in London as their chosen charity partner. (20/21 March)
  • Kit collection at FC United of Manchester (13 April).

In addition to all of the above, we also finally changed our bank provider and have entered into the 21st Century with e-banking. This has probably been the most trying activity of all!! Thanks to Mark and Sean for their support.

All that remains is to say a massive thank you to everyone reading this update for your support of KitAid and to wish you a very happy, healthy and fulfilling 2024.

To finish on, my favourite quotes received following kit donations.

 

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

 

“You are not only giving kits, you are giving hope, making a difference and motivating the next generation. We love and cherish what you do.”
Anthiny Iwere, Gravity Solutions Charity.

 

Thank You

Derrick

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