GETTING SHIRTY:CFU WORKS WITH UNITED AND RAF KIT APPEAL

Cambridge Fans United, the Cambridge United supporters’ trust, has teamed up with the club to donate hundreds of football kit items to a Royal Air Force-led charitable organisation.

The shirts socks and shorts will be delivered to young people in need overseas by the Taking Football to Africa and Beyond Charitable Appeal.

The appeal distributes ‘Aid through Football’ through kit donated by clubs across the UK to children and young adults in clubs, schools and orphanages throughout the world.

The kit is shipped through various channels and distributed by volunteer RAF and civilian personnel, who travel to destinations including Kenya and Nepal in their own time and at their own expense.

The appeal, founded by Wing Commander Neil Hope MBE in 2006, is based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire and operates through the RAF Football Association.

It has delivered more than 182,000 items, including 56,000-plus football shirts, to 56 countries worldwide.
Warrant Officer Dave Hedges, on behalf of the appeal, thanked CFU and Cambridge United for their donations, which he said would be enthusiastically received by young people who had very little.

Fans’ elected director Dave Matthews-Jones said it was pleasing to continue to make donations that would benefit young people overseas.

‘CFU has made several donations of kit to youngsters in Africa over the past few years. We were very happy to partner with the club and the appeal to carry on this tradition.’

Wing Commander Hope said: ‘It is amazing to see how this appeal continues to grow and continues to provide kits across the globe. My thanks go out to all of the County FAs, clubs and people that have donated to the appeal.’
 
Warrant Officer Dave Hedges (second from right), of the Taking Football to Africa and Beyond Charitable Appeal, accepts donations of kit from Alan Burge (right) and Wendy Twinn on behalf of CFU and Luke Chadwick, Cambridge United’s youth development phase lead coach.