Shropshire servicewoman delivers aid through football

News from our partners Royal Air Force

An RAF Officer from north Shropshire has organised a football match in Nigeria whilst serving at an UK Armed Forces Deployment in Nigeria.

Squadron Leader Sharon Loe, from Myddle, is currently deployed in Nigeria with the British Army providing assistance to the Nigerian Government in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Sharon Loe with children in Nigeria with new Shrewsbury Town kit

Sharon has assisted the RAF Football Association Taking Football to Africa and Beyond charitable appeal in delivering ‘Aid through Football’ through her links to the RAF Shawbury-based appeal, in organising a friendly football match against the Nigerian Army 7th Division at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, Nigeria.

The football match was watched by children from a local football team who, following the match, were gifted a number of football strips, donated through the RAF’s appeal.

Kits donated included strips gifted by Shrewsbury Town FC through the fabulous links between the club and its Chairman, Roland Wycherley, has with the RAF FA and RAF Shawbury.  Additonal items were distibuted that were donated by Jarrow FC through Durham Football Association.

The Appeal was set-up in 2006 and collects unwanted or donated football shirts from UK clubs and sends them to Africa and countries across the world. Since its inception it has distributed close to 200,000 items, including over 58,000 football shirts. This marks the first time that kit has been distributed through the appeal in Nigeria, which becomes the Appeal’s 57th country of distribution.

Shrewsbury Town kits being distrubuted in Nigeria

After a closely-contested match, the Nigerian Army 7th Division Football Team beat the UK team 2-1.