Company gets shirty for orphans

1:36pm Wednesday 28th November 2007

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STAFF at Melksham-based Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems (UK) Limited have shipped more than 400 football shirts to orphans in Malawi.

The initiative was started by Alex Coombs and his friend Rob Davey, who are both fifth year medical students at Hull York Medical School and for their placement, chose to work in a hospital for orphans in Blantyre, Malawi.

The two thought it would be nice to take gifts for the children in the form of a few football shirts and were amazed at the reaction these provoked.

But there were more children than shirts so Alex had the idea of enlisting the help of his dad, Mark and his brother Matthew who both work for KBRS to try to collect more shirts meaning that every child could receive a shirt.

With the support of the managing director Paul Johnson, the two managed to get more than 400 shirts donated from fellow employees ready for shipping to Malawi.

Mark said: "When Alex asked for our support I was delighted that we could help.

"He had already taken some shirts and said that to the children, who literally have nothing. Alex said it was like ten Christmases rolled into one for the children receiving a shirt.

"I would like to thank all the employees of KBRS who generously donated a shirt or in many cases batches of shirts.

"I would especially like to thank our shipping company DSV of Purfleet whose managing director, Graham Riches generously offered to ship the shirts free of charge when he heard about the initiative."