Leyland Pirates F.C. donate their kits to an underpriviliged school in Kenya

Last week, Leyland Pirates FC donated their old kit to Ufuoni Primary School in Chumani, the Kilifi District of Kenya.

The kit consisted of a football shirt – designed by one of the Leyland players for a competition –, shorts and half-zip, costing up to £8000 originally.

Secretary for the club, Michael Treadwell told the Post: “We bought these kits, they're all sublimated, and we have the same sponsor throughout the club, so we just thought it's a shame, if they've only been used for two years, not to do anything with them. So one of our players, Jack Bashora-Guyo, his dad's from Kenya, and he suggested that they take some kits out to the village where he grew up.”

Jack’s dad comes from Chumani, an underpriviliged village on the Kenyan coast, which has no tourism and is very rural with water coming from wells; the majority of people are or were pupils at Ufuoni School and farm their own land, owning a few goats – a cow if they are lucky.

Jack’s dad went out to Kenya to pass on the kits and noted the school’s sports teacher was very grateful and keen to promote the girls using the kits too.

After receiving the donated kits, all the children reportedly shouted out, 'Asante Sana' which means thank you very much!

Leyland Pirates F.C. also hopes to spread the love for football further across the globe.

One of the teams managers is taking some kits out to South Africa in December, whilst another manager sponsers a nursery in Gambia through his business and will be shipping kits over there too.

Michael added: "We're just trying to spread them out as wide and far as possible to ensure that they get a second life where people will need them and want them.

"It sounds daft to say but everyone loves football, so it's just about trying to get kids out and doing physical education, team sports, and the kits enable them to do that.”