Charity

Trundle, Rangel and Hartson amongst guests scheduled for Underhill Park charity Boot Room launch

The highly successful Boot Room charity will be opening a new base this evening at Underhill Park (7-9pm), the home of Mumbles Rangers Football Club.

Published

2 months ago

12th October 2023

Richard Bond

Launched in October 2019 by Neath-born founder Carl Bradley, the charity focuses on breaking down barriers to football by providing free boots and sports clothing to young footballers in need.

Supporting the opening will be Swansea City Club Ambassador Lee Trundle, former Swan Angel Rangel, and ex-Wales striker John Hartson along with members of the Swansea City Football Club board.

Since its inception, the Boot Room has helped thousands of children from underprivileged backgrounds all across the country to obtain the kit to play the beautiful game with.

With the cost-of-living crisis hitting all working families, now more than ever the charity’s importance to maximise their reach to as many people as possible is critical Bradley feels.

“The need for boots is massive in all areas of Wales. This is our third Boot Room here [in the Swansea area] and our tenth in total across the UK,” said Bradley.

“We have one in Briton Ferry and two in Swansea – Pure Football, and now the one in Mumbles. There is a need for it everywhere.

“This is not just about unemployed families or people who are on low income, it’s about parents who are working full time with two jobs that simply cannot afford the cost of changing boots for kids every few months. They are extortionately priced, and the problem is only going to get worse with the cost of living rising so fast.

“Not only does this take a bit of the burden off the parents, when you see how much we are donating it stops them going straight into the bin to landfill.”

The idea of the Boot Room would come after a thought Bradley had after a conversation with a parent at his child’s football match had highlighted the growing cost problems that parents face to provide boots for their children.

“I was coaching my son’s football team on a Saturday morning in Bryncoch. There was a mum on the touchline and one of the coaches, who was refereeing the game had asked this woman are any of your boys coming back next season,” continued Bradley.

“She said no they won’t be because I can’t afford to buy the boots. The cost of boots for two boys is crazy.

“I thought to myself I wonder; as I had spare boots here if I washed them and said there’s some spare boots here, maybe they’ll be able to play. I thought then why don’t I collect unwanted boots because kids grow out of them so fast.”

In recognition of his inspirational efforts, Bradley was nominated for the Pride of Britain award in 2020 after raising more than £300,000 for various charities and causes in the community and his tireless work setting up the Boot Room.

Bradley though cannot thank the support Swansea City Football Club has played as the main partner and sponsor of the initiative that has been a winner of a Football Association of Wales Trust award.

“I set the Boot Room up on the Saturday night and I think by the Sunday morning it went absolutely crazy,” explained Bradley.

“In the four years we have been running it, we have provided 2,000 pairs of boots just in Wales, not in any other Boot Room, just in West Glamorgan, Neath and Swansea.

“The Swans are our main sponsors and provide kit for us every year, helping us as much as they can. They have a drop-off location and have provided us with media help and publicity, which is fantastic.

“On the Sunday after I launched the scheme a lady contacted me saying that she thought it would be a fabulous idea as a community project for the Swans. They then contacted me to come in on the Monday. I spoke to [then Chairman] Trevor Birch who said we want to be involved and make it our community project.

“I’m so grateful it has come together so well, and we can now have three Boot Rooms in our local area.”

Mike Parkin, Chairman of Mumbles Rangers, commenting prior to the launch fully backs the project.

“The Boot Room is a fantastic initiative and will be great for the club and community alike.

“Carl and his team have come up with a great concept, and I want to thank him and Claire Anderson for setting up this venture in Underhill. I know all will find this greatly beneficial.”

If you would like to donate any kit or boots to the Boot Room a list of drop-off locations can be found below.