Professional football players switched scoring goals for folding clothes when they joined the dedicated volunteers working around the clock to help refugees from Afghanistan.
Sam Minihan, Connor Jennings, Ash Palmer, and James Jennings from Stockport County Football Club hung up their boots for the day and headed down to the Care4Calais warehouse in Stockport to help the team sort through clothes, toys, and essentials.
Volunteers welcomed the four Hatters with open arms, after the generosity of people around Greater Manchester saw the charity fill their warehouse - before taking over a second with over 50 tonnes of donations needing to be sorted through.
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The players got straight to work, sorting and folding clothes, and helping pack boxes with items for those in need.
Speaking from the warehouse, defender Sam Minihan said: “We’ve been moved by the scenes coming from Kabul Airport with parents handing babies to soldiers desperate to provide them with a better life.
"Care4Calais provide on the ground support for refugees from war-torn countries and the donations provided here will help to cloth and feed these people during their time of need.
‘The scale of the operation is huge which is why we’ve come to the warehouse to lend a hand sorting through the donations.
"We urge anyone with some free time this week and next to get involved and donate some time to a great cause.”
The club has asked people with any free time to help the charity sort through their mound of donations.
Anyone able to help between 10-6pm this week can head to the Safestore site at 61-53 Wellington Road North after 10am and ask for the lead volunteer Wayne.
So many people are trying to contact the charity at the moment that the team are struggling to reply on time, so there may be some delays in responses.
Clare Moseley, spokesperson for Care4Calais said: “We were delighted to be joined by the Stockport County team.
"We’ve had such an amazing response from people across the region with generous donations of money, clothing and bedding.
"We’re now working through these so we can deploy them quickly to the people who need them the most.
"Anyone in the area able to come lend a hand then please come to our Safestore warehouse and support us as we help those in need of new beginnings.”
Head to the Care4calais website for more information on the work being done by the charity.
