Footballer Bobby Hassell is urging folk to donate clothes for needy children in Africa.
The Reds' defender is appealing for second hand kids’ clothes, football kits or shoes which will be shipped out to a children’s home he supports in Kenya.
Hassell, who is in his ninth season at Barnsley, hopes to travel to the orphanage at the end of the football season and hold coaching sessions with the children, some of whom suffer from HIV and endured horrendous abuse before the home opened last year.
Father-of-three Hassell said: “This is a project close to my heart. Many of the kids out there have only got one pair of clothes and some don’t even have shoes.
"It’d be great if the people of Barnsley could pull together and donate some items.
“As a parent, I know that kids quickly grow out of clothes and most families have things around the house which they no longer need. If they could donate then I know it will make a big difference to the lives of these children.”
Hassell has teamed up with supermarket giants Tesco and Asda and will attend drop-in days throughout the next month when people can donate off their clothes. The project is run in conjunction with Faith and Football and humanitarian organisation One By One.
• Clothing drop-ins are being held at Tesco at Stairfoot on Sunday and April 28 from 10am-4pm, and ASDA in Barnsley on April 21 from 10am-4pm. Hassell will attend along with other Reds' footballers.
