Record-breaking weekend wanted!

With all 68 clubs getting ready to take part during the traditional double header of holiday fixtures after taking delivery of specially designed collection bins, the charity’s volunteers are hoping the EVO-STIK Northern Premier League will see the biggest collection in its history.

Martin Keech, Sports Traider’s merchandising director, said: “Now that most clubs have received their collection bins, we’re hoping that everybody’s efforts over the Easter weekend will see the biggest collection for charity in the Northern Premier League’s proud history of supporting good causes.

“To the players, staff and fans and to their friends and families, it's time to dig into your wardrobes, garages and attics to pull out all your old or even new and unwanted sportswear and equipment.

“Filling those bins with a mountain of goods will make a huge difference to many, many disabled and disadvantaged children who are less fortunate than others.

“With everything donated resold in our retail stores and the funds raised fed back into grassroots sport in local communities, the more we collect the more people we can help. Everybody’s help is needed so let's make this a weekend to remember!”

Unveiled as the EVO-STIK NPL’s official charity last summer after being founded in 2009 by the BBC’s 2010 Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero Lance Haggith, Sports Traider is dedicated to helping youngsters to discover and fulfil their sporting potential, whatever their background, ability or disability.

As well as a growing number of permanent collection points and recycling banks in strategic locations and links with schools and sports centres across the country, the charity also works with local sports brands and retail outlets who are invited to donate surplus, end-of-line or seconds stock directly.

Sports Traider has been looking forward to a bumper collection at Easter since teaming up with Britain’s best known haulier, Eddie Stobart Logistics, after Christmas.

Thanks to their links with Warrington Town where they have their HQ, the company’s bosses generously picked up the bill for producing and delivering the special collection bins to the EVO-STIK NPL’s clubs in recent weeks.

Using the #Kit Amnesty to mobilise fans on social media, the charity’s volunteers are also hoping fans, players and officials are following in the footsteps of more than 200 students at the NPLFA, the league’s ground-breaking academy, who started collecting the unwanted kits of their friends and families before Christmas.

Forty NPLFA students are currently funded with bursaries from the charity and Keech added: “The youngsters gave us a great start and like the league, we are enormously grateful to Eddie Stobart for paying for all the bins and delivering them free of charge.

“With the reputation of the league’s fans for supporting good causes and Eddie Stobart’s help, hundreds of children and young people without the means to play sport in their local communities will soon be benefitting.”

For more information on Sports Traider and their Easter campaign visit the charity’s website which was relaunched this week at www.sportstraider.org.uk.

Images courtesy of www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk

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