"Sea of Green off to Africa" - TalkCeltic

ellboy · 05-06-2008, 04:56 PM

"Sea of Green off to Africa"

The sea of Celtic shirts from outside Celtic Park as a tribute to one of Celtic´s most cherished sons, Tommy Burns are being sent to the children of Africa. Boys and girls will be able to wear them with pride when taking part in organised training sessions throughout Africa.

The strips will be sorted to make matching strips washed and handed over to local charity (GtCC)before being sent to projects all over Africa, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia will be there destinations.

Ross Galbraith The charity’s International Projects Director, said: “All football fans share in the sadness at the death of Tommy Burns, but through this kind donation and our creative partnerships across Africa, one of Tommy’s many positive legacies will be the coaching of thousands of children in order to improve their chances of a better, healthier life.

“After the death of Jimmy Johnstone, Celtic FC and the Johnstone family donated more than 20,000 kits to our charity.
“This inspired us to create a network of football coaching workshops across Africa, delivering hope and opportunity to thousands of children.

In South Africa, we coach more than 2,000 kids every day in the values of good football, personal health and positive self-esteem. The children get three days of football training every week, but for two other days they come along for classes in life skills.

“These provide health advice and enable them to develop self-esteem and gain qualifications that can help them to get a job.
“So football is a means through which we can help to improve people’s lives. For the young footballers, there is the added pride of being able to play in good quality, matching tops.”

Ross, who is based at the charity’s HQ in Castlemilk, Glasgow, continued: “Our model in South Africa will now be replicated in Liberia, Uganda and Malawi, thanks to the generosity of Celtic FC and the Burns family.

“In Malawi, a country where poverty and poor social conditions are at their worst, Glasgow the Caring City and our partners at The St Andrews Trust are coming together to create a Soccer Camp in Chypsie, near the capital Lilongwe.

“Here, health and self-esteem will go hand-in-hand with football through a programme of developed coaching activities.

“Youngsters who attend the Soccer Camp will have the benefit of education, health awareness and sports development, all geared towards lifting them out of poverty.”

A spokesperson for Celtic said: “The tribute made to Tommy was simply phenomenal and the scene at Celtic Park was something which demonstrated the level of esteem and affection in which Tommy was held by so many people.

“He will forever be remembered by us all as a man of true compassion and it is fitting that these shirts will go to help others across the world who
are less fortunate.”

Neil Lennon & John Kennedy boxing up strips bound for Africa.