RAF football charitable appeal celebrates 20 years of delivering football kits across the world

The Taking Football To Africa and Beyond Appeal, an charitable initiative based at RAF Shawbury, is celebrating its 20th anniversary of sending football kits across the world.

The mission started in May 2006 and made its first delivery a month later with the intention to run during the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

However, as England crashed out on penalties to Portugal after Cristiano Ronaldo's devastating wink, and Italy won the trophy, the appeal decided to continue their work and now celebrate two decades of deliveries

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Commander (Retired) Neil Hope MBE was the founder of the charity and said: "When I started this appeal, I had no idea how long it would last and how successful it would be. 

"We collect amazing donations and re-distribute them to people that would otherwise never afford them. Football is huge across the world and does amazing good.

"We tap into that to deliver aid to those who need it. We are so grateful to everyone who has made it this huge success."

Since then, he has passed over the reins to the appeal's new lead, Squadron Leader Mark Smales, who said: "I am genuinely honoured to be involved in the appeal and even more so that Neil has entrusted me with something that is so special to him.

"To play a small part in bringing hope, joy and some smiles through a shared passion for the beautiful game is truly amazing and I cherish the memories and friendships I have made since I first became involved.

"In a world which seems to have more and more negativity I’d like to think that Neil, myself and all our helpers are doing what we can to show that there’s some good in the world."

The charitable appeal's origins and achievements

The appeal's origins go back to a drunken conversation in a bar with a Bolton Wanderers supporter, who suggested to "pool all our old football shirts and send them to Africa".

Since then, 466,536 items, including 131,931 football shirts, have been delivered to 72 countries, including the latest which was Togo in May.

In Kenya, the team work with the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) and Braeburn Garden Estate School (Nairobi), and, in Nepal, they work with the Gurkha Welfare Trust in Pokhara. They also have key links with the RAF Football Association as well as many professional football clubs.

Through three trips to Nepal and 20 to Kenya, more than 180 people have delivered 'aid through football' to schools, rescue centres and football clubs in some of the poorest areas in the world.