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Posted on 2nd December 2020
Comedian Mark Watson and his brother Paul, an ex-semi professional footballer, are urging fans to donate football kits to brighten up Christmas for children across the country living in poverty.
The “Kitmas” initiative, which started life as a social media appeal by the two brothers, has already seen hundreds of football kits donated to grassroots community groups and kids who might not otherwise get a Christmas present this year.
Additionally, a Kitmas fundraising page has already raised almost £7,000 to buy replica kits for kids around the country.
“The response has been amazing already, there’s a great community of people out there,” Paul told The Big Issue. “People see the bad of Twitter but social media brings out so many amazing things.
“What’s nice is that it’s all individual people who have a fiver to donate or one kit lying around. It’s not coming from some big corporation, it’s really personal.
“Just normal people who remember what it was like to get a kit as a kid and want to do something nice for others.”
Though they hope to get all kits out in time for Christmas, the brothers say they will gladly accept donations into 2021.
Last month the FA announced that the Community Shield would be taking place on a Sunday at 5.30pm, a difficult time for Manchester City fans hoping to get down to the game and back in time for work the next day. After a backlash that was revised to 4pm but Manchester City fans are calling for it to be moved to 3pm.
The organisers of ‘Kitmas‘ – a grassroots-led campaign to brighten up Christmas for struggling families around the country – are once again urging fans to donate football kits this December.
We are seeking nominations of fans who have made the biggest difference to the supporter movement over the course of 2021 in a pair of awards to kick off the new year.
The FSA and Kick It Out’s joint Fans for Diversity campaign celebrated Black History Month by interviewing pioneering coach Alena Moulton and reminding everyone of the importance of the Jack Leslie Campaign.
