Virus forces postponement of strips for Africa journey
A plan to take football strips from youngsters of Point FC to a school in Africa has been disrupted at the 11thhour due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Development consultant Alasdair Nicholson, who regularly goes to Tanzania to help develop skills in community enterprise, was in Edinburgh ready to fly to Africa recently but decided to cancel the trip in the light of the UK warning against all non-essential travel. Mr Nicholson, who also works as a community consultant for community wind farm charity Point and Sandwick Trust, had collected a bundle of junior Point FC strips, as well as science textbooks, to take with him to a joint primary and secondary school at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro.
He was taking the strips out to Northern Tanzania after Point and Sandwick Trust sponsored new kit for the young players of Point FC. Point and Sandwick Trust had also provided a couple of footballs for the school and Mr Nicholson had spoken of what a difference it would make to the children there.
Anticipated
He had anticipated great ‘glee and happiness’ at the gifts and had told the Wee Reds in Point that children in Africa were often without strips or boots – sometimes even footballs.
‘Sometimes they make footballs from rolled up banana leaves’ he said.
He also told the youngsters: ‘I’m just the carrier of these strips. You are the ones who are donating them.’
However, he decided against making the journey and plans to go back later when the situation has settled down.
Mr Nicholson said: ‘Things are moving so fast with coronavirus in the last few days that it is uncertain what borders will be closed or flights cancelled.
‘This is a postponement rather than a total withdrawal but I would not want to be an accidental vector from any casual contact in passing through Amsterdam or from a crowded African bus.
Risk
‘Yes I’m disappointed but there will be vulnerable people who are at risk and any problems I have encountered are nothing compared with the anxiety they will have so our thoughts should be with our neighbours and community.’