Children's football club donate kits to young players at Jamaican school

Players on the football team at Boscobel Primary School gratefully accepted their new gear from Padnell Rovers FC in Paulsgrove, a club for children aged six to 16.

With the help of club owner Damien Ray, Padnell Rovers’ director of football Steve Clarke arranged to take 10 of the team’s kits to Boscobel, where many live in poverty.

Steve, from Havant, said: ‘I went to Boscobel for my 50th birthday and took the kits with me because I’m a massive football fan, and I wanted to donate them to young football lovers in need.

‘I got chatting to a Canadian woman who visits the area every year to teach English to local schoolchildren.

‘I told her about the PRFC kits and she took me to Boscobel Primary School, and introduced me to the principal and the kids, who were aged seven to 12.

‘There’s about 20 of them on the football team and I can’t explain how grateful they were for the kits.

‘Some of them didn’t even have shoes to play in, their goalposts were small and broken – the principal was in tears at our gesture.

‘Despite having the bare minimum they were all so happy, and now we’re raising money for equipment for the whole school.

‘I’m asking football clubs in the area to please get in touch with me if they have any kits to donate.’

Mr Clarke visited Boscobel with his son Shane, daughter Shannon and her boyfriend Jack, who are also supporting the cause.

Damien Ray started PRFC four years ago. The 34-year-old said: ‘We’re all very proud to have been able to support the children in Boscobel.

‘Everyone who is a part of our team, including the children, knows how much this gesture means to those kids.

‘We’re going to be setting up a shoebox appeal over the summer we’ll be sending the children 20 more kits soon.’

To help Boscobel Primary School, visitjustgiving.com/crowdfunding/boscobelprimary.