We’re proud to support SOS Kit Aid
Tigers have collected a fantastic amount to support SOS Kit Aid!
Back in May 2024 during a tidy up of some store rooms at the clubhouse, I came across a large quantity of old kit – mostly shirts, shorts and boots etc. – that was just taking up shelf space and could be put to better use somewhere else. My enquiries led me to SOS Kit Aid, a charity that collects new and good quality used rugby and football kit (shirts, shorts, socks, boots etc.) and sends it all over the world to underprivileged children and young adults who can’t afford to buy kit for themselves. With the Chairman’s permission, my mission had started.
Over the next few months, the quantity of surplus and donated kit just grew bigger by the week with boxes and bags of kit coming from all directions. At this stage, thanks must go to our Mini and Junior Chairman, Guy Dixon, for getting boots donated that have been outgrown by our junior club players – thank you all.
With a cut-off date set for late September, below is the amount collected at Cheltenham Tigers alone.
On 21st of September a vehicle arrived at Newlands to take all the collected kit to a local depot to be sorted and below is a message from Richard Westaway, Director & Trustee SOS Kit Aid.
“Firstly, a huge thanks for ALL the kit you have kindly donated which Roger & Lin Elliot collected, our thanks to everyone at Cheltenham Tigers RFC for doing this. You will see from the pictures a shot of the kit being unloaded from the boot and also of it packed and loaded onto the van to be taken off to our central store in London! From there it will be distributed around the globe to help disadvantaged youngsters play our wonderful game.”
SOS Kit Aid exists because sport changes lives, our vision is to give all children access to sport. Our mission is to recycle sports kit for the benefit of young people in the UK and overseas so they are given a sporting chance and in doing so, reduce the volume of sports kit being dumped into landfill sites. We make a positive and tangible impact on youngsters lives by giving them the chance to participate in sporting activities; promote social inclusion; and protect the environment. With the support of the World Rugby, kit that has been donated by schools, clubs and kit manufacturers is distributed across the UK and the Globe. So far, more than £6m worth of rugby kit and equipment, which amounts to 700 deliveries has been distributed to 44 countries, covering Eastern Europe, South America, Pacific Islands and the UK since the charity was set up back in 2001, more than a quarter of a million disadvantaged young people have been able to play rugby in recycled kit provided by SOS Kit Aid. Over 250,000 youngsters in 44 developing countries around the world have received quality used and new kit, and there are a further 20 countries on the waiting list. Thanks to the recycling efforts of volunteers, the charity has diverted more than 250 tons of material from environmentally damaging scarce UK landfill sites and saved over 1500 tonnes of harmful CO2 emissions. SOS Kit Aid works with a variety of supporters, sponsors and ambassadors.
www.soskitaid.com | Reg Charity Number. 1144716 | Contact: Richard Westaway Director & Trustee | richard@rwwtc.co.uk
Once again, a massive thankyou to everyone who helped me in this task; your efforts are much appreciated.
What little we did will make a massive difference to so many future rugby players.
– Ian Spelman CRFC Historian.