IT’S 20,000 NOT OUT AS BARRY HITS THE TARGET
MARINE community officer Barry Lenton has collected his 20,000th item of sports kit which will be donated to underprivileged children and adults in over 30 countries.
Lenton, a retired teacher and author of the club’s 125th anniversary book published last year, has been gathering unwanted football kits from schools, charities, church groups and families across Sefton in Merseyside for KitAid over the last nine years.
In 2012, he had donated 5,000 items and within two years that figure had doubled to 10,000, but now he has hit 20,000 following a donation from a former pupil Kevin Kilbane.
“When I started collecting, my aim was to hand over 1,000 items of kit to KitAid and then move on to the next project,” said Lenton, “but I continued to sort and count every item – every shirt, shorts, pairs of socks and boots and even referees’ kits, training bibs and footballs.
“It’s been hard work but very rewarding and I’ve made a lot of new friends along the way. It helped that I got on so well with Derrick Williams (KitAid founder) and his organisational skills and enthusiasm inspired me. I have to give a mention to KitAid ambassadors, Vin O’Brien and Janet Neville, who have helped me with advice, collection and distribution. KitAid isn’t just a charity, it’s a family of which I am proud to be a member.”
Williams added: “This is by far the largest donation from a single person and it is a staggering amount. Barry has provided enough kit for 1,300 teams to play football across Africa and the developing world.
“He has made a difference to thousands of people who would otherwise not be able to play in proper kit and boots. The joy and smiles he will have brought to many players is truly heart-warming.
“We would also like to thank Marine for supporting Barry from the very start of the campaign, along with the many thousands of people across Merseyside who have donated kit to him.
“Barry Lenton is a legend in Non-League football and now a legend in many parts of Africa.”