Matt Giggs to lead football mission to Africa
An entrepreneur from St Neots is on the look out for football fans to join him on a 10 day trip to Lesotho in Southern Africa. Matt Giggs, owner of award-winning estate agency Giggs & Co and a motivational speaker, is linking up with Kick4Life for the life-changing tour in November 2018.
During the trip, the 'Kick4Life All Stars' will be trained to deliver health education activities to children in local schools, as well the chance to play football in front go hundreds of supporters. The tour also includes opportunities to learn about the work of Kick4Life, a range of cultural visits and an adventure trip to the stunning mountain region.
Giggs said: "I've loved football all my life and played locally for many years, and this is a wonderful opportunity to use the beautiful game to change the lives of some of the world's most disadvantaged children. We'd like to invite as many people as possible from the local area to join our adventure."
Steve Fleming, Kick4Life co-founder, added: "We're delighted to be partnering with Giggs & Co. We've been running tours to Lesotho for over ten years that involve football, but they are mainly about the wider experience. We've had men and women aged from 18 to 80 take part previously including those who have never played football before. People always return home having made friends for life"
Kick4Life has worked with more than 100,000 underprivileged children at their centre in the heart of Maseru, Lesotho's capital city. They have also set up a restaurant and a hotel that generate income for the charity as well as providing training and employment for young people. The charity has received multiple international accolades, including the Nelson Mandela Children's Award, has been funded by the likes of UNICEF, the Vodafone Foundation and BT Sport, and supported by Prince Harry and Fabio Capello.
Giggs added: "Giggs & Co is committed to supporting a range of causes in the local community, and we are excited to also now have the chance to contribute to an international cause. I really hope we can pull together a diverse team of people from the local area to come together for what will undoubtedly be a fun, worthwhile and inspirational adventure."
Oliver Henson, Director of Giggs & Co, who will also be joining the tour, added: "It promises to be an incredible experience and we look forward to making a real difference for some of the world's most disadvantaged children."
During the tour Matt and Oliver will give a talk to the Kick4Life Academy participants about their experience in business. Steve said: "As well as training people in health education delivery, we want to give tour participants the chance to contribute their skills and experience to assist Kick4Life during the trip, whether that's giving a talk, running a fitness session or using their skills in a trade to help us maintain our centre."
Alden Whittaker-Brown of Avenue Road, a trustee of the charity, attended a tour in 2014. He said: "It was simply an incredible experience. The tour was brilliantly organized and the chance to make a real difference was unforgettable. Lesotho is a beautiful and friendly country."
To take part in the tour participants need to raise £2500. This covers flights, accommodation, meals and a wide range of activities, with the majority of the funds directly supporting the work of Kick4Life. The charity also provides support and advice to help people hit the target. The tour will run from November 23rd to December 2nd 2018.
To join the tour please set up a fundraising page and pay the first £50 to secure your place.
Download an information an application pack
An information evening is being held at 7pm on Tuesday 22nd August at St Neots Football Club. To book a place and for more information contact Steve on steve@kick4life.org or call 07710 999 169.
