Football - Kendal part of 'Boots for Africa' (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Football - Kendal part of 'Boots for Africa'

9:46am Wednesday 27th August 2008 in Sport By Gazette Sports

THE UniBond League, of which Kendal Town is a member, has become the first football league sponsor of Sheffield FC’s inspiring ‘Boots for Africa’ charity appeal.

All 63 clubs in the league will be collecting used boots which, when cleaned up, will be given a second lease of life in communities across the African continent including South Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana and Zambia.

As an added incentive Henkel, the league’s 15 years sponsor, is putting up £1750 worth of UniBond DIY and repair products to be shared between the three clubs contributing the most boots to the scheme by the end of the season.

The ‘Boots for Africa’ scheme brings together the world’s oldest football club with the longest running sponsorship in the Football Association’s history.

Sheffield FC, who originated the charity, was 150 years old last year and UniBond’s support of the previous Northern Premier League started in 1994 and runs to at least 2009.

Since the charity launched last year, more than 4,000 pairs of boots have already crossed the world.

The enthusiastic involvement of UniBond League clubs is expected to add thousands more, giving disadvantaged young Africans their first ever pair of football boots instead of playing in bare feet on rubble strewn pavements.

Gemma Gale, Boots for Africa co-ordinator, said: “We are delighted that the Unibond League has thrown its support behind the campaign. This will really help raise the profile of Boots for Africa and inform even more people about how they can bring communities together through football.”

Junior clubs, schools and members of the public can donate their wearable boots of any size to the campaign, while ‘Boots for Africa’ boot bags are also available to buy for £3 with proceeds going to the charity. Full details of the scheme can be found on the UniBond League website – www.unibondleague.com To gain more information on how to donate to the Boots for Africa campaign or find out how to get involved, please visit www.bootsforafrica.org or email info@bootsforafrica.org