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Bhoys for Africa having a charity ball

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Behind the glitz of the commercialised World Cup coverage the name of Celtic and it’s supporters have been making their impact throughout South Africa.

The Johannesburg Celtic Supporters Club have been hosting hoops fans from throughout the world keen to enjoy a huddle while supporting differing countries at the World Cup.

From almost every competing country, and a few that are there just for the banter, Celtic supporters have been enjoying the World Cup and also putting something back into the local economy.

Away from the cringe worthy patronising coverage of the state funded BBC the Jo’burg CSC have been doing their bit for the less fortunate locals and providing practical help and support.

Bill McIntosh of the Jo’burg CSC has been working tirelessly for the chosen charity of Bhoys for Africa which gathers up Celtic strips to distribute amongst the poorer townships throughout Africa.

A match was arranged between the visiting New Zealand CSC and a Soweto Celtic XI, which was diplomatically drawn 1-1, with hoops prominent throughout.

Prize Giving

The Johannesburg CSC, has initiated a campaign to help out disadvantaged youth throughout the African continent.

Over the last year we have been asking fellow CSC’s to send us old Celtic and football kit to be distributed to poor communities in Africa .

So far the response, in particular from our friends in North America, has been outstanding,

Our campaign is on two fronts.

The first is to help out the ‘township youth’ of South Africa.

We, the ‘Jo’burg Tims’, have formed a friendship with Bloemfontein Celtic, a S.A. Premier League outfit who also wear the hoops.

We have visited Bloemfontein Celtic and donated Celtic strips and football equipment for distribution, through their community development schemes, to the local kids and youth teams.

NZ Bhoys in red tops

These kids are from some of the poorest communities in South African society and the gift of soccer kit and equipment makes a real difference – especially in a country where football is the main sport, played just about everywhere.

We are planning another trip down to Bloemfontein at the beginning of this years PSL season, and hope to attend Bloemfontein Celtic’s first home game and make a presentation of donated kit to the club.

The second part of the campaign is to help out children elsewhere in Africa.

Bill spends a great deal of time on business in West Africa, and has been using these regular trips to distribute Celtic strips and soccer kit in countries such as Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As you may be aware, these African countries are just beginning to recover from a decade of civil war and genocide.

They are among some of the poorest people on the planet, living in countries where whole communities have been scarred by the horrors of war.

Bill has forged links with local community and church groups up there and has been sending kit their way for years

To children and youth, emerging from a decade-long nightmare,kids who have never heard of Bart Simpson,McDonalds etc, these small donations make a real difference, and allow communities to start up local village teams, soccer leagues and so on. Every little bit does help.

We feel that this campaign has two positives – as per our Social Charter we are doing our bit by helping out poor communities, whilst contributing to the development of community-based sports programmes.

Secondly, we are helping to promote the Celtic name throughout the African continent

Bill on international duty

For us to achieve these goals, we need the help of Celtic fans worldwide.

From past experience, we have discovered that once Celtic Supporters clubs get together and start collecting Celtic strips and football equipment, great things can be achieved.

They ask their members to look through their cupboards and dig out old Celtic jerseys or shorts, old boots, balls, shinpads, training kit, etc.

Once collected, they had filled dozens of boxes of assorted kit to send us and,

sent surface mail, the postage costs were very low.

If any of the global Celtic family, whether CSC’s or individual fans, could help in collecting and posting us kit then we really could make a difference.

We will ensure that all donations are acknowledged on our website and we will also post all press coverage and community feedback online.

The young hoops

We will also liaise with Celtic Park, The Celtic View, etc, and will hopefully get them to publicize the good work of those donating kit for the campaign.

If you can help, please send to any kit and equipment to Bill McIntosh at the following address:

269 Lewisham Rd, Northcliff, 2195 Johannesburg , South Africa

(And please mark for attention of William McIntosh, not Bill, as he has to show his passport at the post office when collecting the stuff.)

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5 comments

  • Steph Daly says:

    Forget all the bigotry . . bitterness and racism of the despised sections of Scotland.

    This sort of project makes me fabulously proud of Celtic Football Club and it’s enlightened supporters.

    Hail! Hail!! Bafana! Bafana!!

  • Gavin says:

    As the organiser of the NZ contingent, this was the highlight of a fabulous World Cup tour.

    This is what life and footbal is all about- sharing, laughing and having a bloody great time, irresoective of race, colour or position in life.

    To see the joy on the faces of the kids and to hear the joy of African song at the end of the game will live forever in the memories of the Kiwi’s who were there.

    Massive thanks to Bill and the JCSC for allowing us to be part of the Bhoys for Africa campaign.

    Hail Hail

    Gavin Findlay
    NZCSC

  • gatopunk says:

    HELLO FRIENDS!

    IM WRITING FROM MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY TO NOTICE YA OF OUR CSC HERE IN URUGUAY.

    CHEERS AND GET IN CONTACT!

  • Epah Gyavira says:

    My names are Coach/Player Epah Gyvira.I am a Cameroonian by nationality and I am 39 years. I am football fanatic and this can be seen from my experience in the game of football. In Cameroon, i played for a good number of clubs and national tournaments. My football career in Cameroon has a lot of impact on my life.

    Due to my talent, I decided to travel to South Africa where I could show case my talent in the game of football. I played for many clubs in South Africa most remarkable is the ARCADIA SHEPARDS F.C. We emerged Champions of the VODACOM League in 2003-2004. I also did coaching management because of the love that I had for soccer. My career in South Africa has a remarkable legacy in my life. While in South Africa, i traveled to Japan for a test match but unfortunately, I was questioned for failure to renew my passport. Consequently, I was sent to Cameroon. The story is really a sad one. All what I had worked for in South Africa perished.

    Back in Cameroon, i did not give up my passion for soccer. I joined a few soccer clubs but it was always difficult to make it to the top. My soccer career in the pitch diminished but i still have the passion for soccer.

    Because of my Charisma and Talent, i was appointed coach of the Little Foot F.C ,Tiko D2. My coaching career with this club was poor because it was very difficult to transform the barbaric and uncultured talent of my boys to the professional realm of soccer.

    While coach for the Little Foot F.C, I always had in mind the intention of empowering football in my community. Today, I have come up with a soccer school called the ARCADIA SOCCER ACADEMY. I have nursed this dream for three years before putting it to motion. Arcadia United F.C is one of the clubs which i played for while i was in South Africa.

    The Academy is just 1 YEAR OLD and I have a total of 49 boys ages ranging from 5-20. I am struggling to preserve these boys for international soccer. The reason why I am mailing you today is to beg on behalf of this young academy, my community which has no football club right now, and Cameroon in general to help us with Material Aid.

  • Epah Gyavira says:

    Hi there,
    you can contact the sports academy at :
    arcadiashepardssocceracademy@yahoo.com

    If you have any used soccer balls, send it to us. It will help to change the lives of many children.

    Thanks .

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