“BHOYS FOR AFRICA” REQUESTING OLD CELTIC KIT

Since 1994 the Johannesburg CSC, have run a campaign to help out disadvantaged youth throughout the African continent. Over the last seven years we have been asking fellow CSC’s to send us old Celtic and football kit to be distributed to poor communities in Africa . So far the response, in particular from our friends in North America, has been outstanding and also Brian Wilson the Celtic Director.

Our campaign is on two fronts.

The first is to help out the ‘township youth’ of South Africa.

We have formed a friendship with Bloemfontein Celtic, a S.A. Premier League outfit who also wear the hoops.

We have visited Bloemfontein Celtic and donated Celtic strips and football equipment for distribution, through their community development schemes, to the local kids and youth teams. These kids are from some of the poorest communities in South African society and the gift of soccer kit and equipment makes a real difference – especially in a country where football is the main sport, played just about everywhere.

The second part of the campaign is to help out children elsewhere in Africa. Bill spends a great deal of time on business in sub-Saharan Africa, and has been using these regular trips to distribute Celtic strips and soccer kit in countries such as Burundi, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As you may be aware, these African countries are just beginning to recover from a decade of civil war and genocide.

They are among some of the poorest people on the planet, living in countries where whole communities have been scarred by the horrors of war. Bill has forged links with local community and church groups up there and has been sending kit their way for the last year. To children and youth, emerging from a decade-long nightmare, kids who have
never heard of Bart Simpson, McDonalds etc, these small donations make a real difference, and allow communities to start up local village teams, soccer leagues and so on. Every little bit does help.

We feel that this campaign has two positives – as per our Social Charter we are doing our bit by helping out poor communities, whilst contributing to the development of community-based sports programmes.

We are also promoting the Celtic name throughout the African continent

For us to achieve these goals, we need the help of Celtic fans worldwide.

From past experience, we have discovered that once Celtic Supporters club together and start collecting Celtic strips and football equipment, great things can be achieved. They ask their members to look through their cupboards and dig out old Celtic jerseys or shorts, old boots, balls, shinpads, training kit, etc. Indeed we have received old kit donation from CSC’s in USA, Canada Ireland, Scotland, Australia ,New Zealand and Japan

Please note that photographs of all distributions are sent to the relative donor .

If any of the global Celtic family, whether CSC’s or individual fans, could help in collecting and posting us kit then we really could make a difference. We will ensure that all donations are acknowledged on our website and we will also post all press coverage and community feedback online. We will also liaise with Parkhead, The Celtic View, etc, and will hopefully get them to publicize the good work of those donating kit for the campaign.

If you can help, please send to any kit and equipment to Bill McIntosh at the following address:

22 Hollywood Drive, Northcliff, 2195 Johannesburg , South Africa

Or contact him direct at celtosh@iafrica.com

(And please mark for attention of William McIntosh, not Bill, as he has to show his passport at the post office when collecting the stuff.)

Many thanks for your support.

Hail Hail
Mark McManus
Chairman
The Johannesburg Tims, CSC
South Africa