COLLECTION OF FOOD AND ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS

For the recent home fixture with Hartley Wintney, Weston wore their pink away kit for Shelter’s #NoHomeKit campaign, to raise awareness of homelessness and poor living conditions.

As part of the football community, Weston-super-Mare AFC know the importance of home. Sadly, thousands of people this year will be spending Christmas sleeping on the streets, in freezing cars, or on friends’ sofas.

Weston are one of a number of clubs up and down the footballing pyramid who are taking part in #NoHomeKit, swapping their traditional home colours for their change strip to raise money and awareness, with the aim being trying to make sure everyone in the UK has access to a safe, secure and affordable place to call home.

Although only playing a small part, we were delighted to acknowledge Shelter’s work by wearing our away kit for the day.

Assistant-manager Scott Laird was also happy to wear our change colours for the visit of Hartley Wintney. Speaking after another great performance from the team, Scott said: “It’s always great to wear the pink away kit as I think it’s wonderful anyway, but to wear it in aid of such a great cause makes it even better. I think if we, as a club, can help in any way or show our support it’s fantastic and a no-brainer. If more clubs can help by doing things like this, then it can only be a good thing.”

Not only are we determined to play our part by highlighting homelessness at Christmas, but Weston-super-Mare AFC are arranging a collection of food and essential products. We will then donate this to a local charity called Somewhere to Go, an organisation based at St. John’s Church Hall in the centre of Weston-super-Mare, that provides day and night services 365 days a year. It helps rough sleepers and disadvantaged and vulnerable adults. Essentially, anybody facing a crisis.

This collection will take place on December 20th in the Somerset Suite, 12:30pm-8pm.

Despite the fixture with Hendon being postponed, our doors will still be open on Tuesday from 12:30pm until 8pm, and you can leave your goods on the stage in the Somerset Suite. Please refer to the graphic above to get an idea of what we can accept. We would like to encourage our fans to donate, but please only part with what you are able to afford and spare.

We would like to thank you in advance for providing much-needed support for vulnerable individuals in our community.

Of course, Christmas can be a difficult time for homeless people, but we are also aware that Christmas can be hard even for people with a roof over their heads. If you are struggling yourself, or you are worried about how others will cope, then listening services like Samaritans are available. It is free to call them and they are available 24/7 all year round, including the Christmas period if someone needs to talk about how they are feeling.

www.shelter.org www.samaritans.org www.somewheretogo.org