KitAid thanks for Easter success

The Evo-Stik Northern Premier League's official charity partner KitAid is thanking clubs and fans for backing their Easter Weekend Collection.

The footballing charity says many more disadvantaged children in some of the poorest parts of the world can look forward to receiving unwanted kit and equipment thanks to their generosity over the Bank Holiday weekend.

In the run-up to Easter, the charity launched a fresh recruitment drive for more clubs to become collection centres and take part in their annual Easter event along with clubs from across Non-League. Numerous clubs took part, including Brigg Town, Bamber Bridge, New Mills, AFC Ossett Town, Ossett Albion, Nantwich Town, Curzon Ashton and Marine.

Others like Sutton Coldfield Town, Matlock Town, North Ferriby United, Rushall Olympic, Witton Albion and FC United of Manchester all hold regular collections and have already won praise from the charity this season for their efforts. FCUM are now preparing for their own dedicated collection day on Saturday April 20 when hundreds more kits are expected to be donated before they play Worksop Town at Gigg Lane.

KitAid founder, Derrick Williams MBE, said: "KitAid are very grateful to all of the clubs who signed up for the Easter KitAid and would like to say thank you to the clubs and their fans for their support. We can guarantee to find a good home for the kit, whether it was a single shirt, a pair of boots or a full strip.

"It makes a massive difference so we are very grateful for everybody’s efforts. Recently we have had feedback to say that a kit from Curzon Ashton meant that a team was able to play in a league now that they have a proper kit. We also heard of two boys who were offered a scholarship because they had played in a KitAid organised event after they’d previously left school as they could not afford the fees."

Former England manager Graham Taylor OBE is now the patron of the charity which since its foundation in 1998 has sent more than 200,000 donated shirts to under-privileged young footballers in more than 30 countries.

For more information on Kit Aid visit: www.kitaid.net