YOUNG football stars at Bradford on Avon have collected a massive £763.97 from bag packing at Sainsbury’s to raise funds for a European tour this spring.

The U11 teams from Bradford Town Youth Football Club need to raise £14,000 to send 30 boys and one girl on their 2018 tour to Holland and Belgium.

The five-day trip from May 28 to June 1 will include meeting and playing local teams, a day training at top Dutch club FC Feyenoord in Rotterdam and a tour of the Dunkirk Museum on the way home.

Some of the team were busy packing bags at Sainsbury’s supermarket in Bradford on Avon last Saturday and raised £763.97 to put towards the trip.

Tour fundraiser Samm Vince said: “A huge thank you to all the kind and generous people of this lovely town who donated to the Bradford Town Youth Football Club U11 tour fund.

“We are aiming to raise £14,000 in total so that 31 children – 30 boys and one girl, Issy Wilkins - can come on the tour for free.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for the young players to travel abroad, meet and play against other children their age in local clubs.”

“Community-funded trips like this are great at building relationships, developing self-confidence and independence in our town’s young people, as well as broadening their horizons. We want every child in the team to have the opportunity to go.”

The under 11s team have already raised over £1,800 from a 10-mile sponsored walk, and received a generous donation from the Bradford on Avon Lions Club. They are now offering sponsorship packages to local businesses.

Other fund-raising events and activities have included washing cars, running a Last Man Standing sweepstake, collecting spare change in special money boxes, selling drinks and homemade cakes on match days and a photo Treasure Trail around Bradford on Avon.

Stuart Huke, whose son Ollie is in the team, has run 100km in 10 days and raised £300 and Richard Mepstead, father of Jacob held a non-uniform day at his army barracks.

Samm added: “We have two Veteran Football Tournaments coming up, the first on Saturday, February 3 on Victory Field, and then at the Bradford on Avon Rugby Club in Winsley on Saturday, May 19 open to any over-18 teams.

There will be plenty of fun for families with a BBQ and penalty shoot-out games. We are looking for local businesses to sponsor these events.”

Parents are also organising a quiz evening at Christchurch Primary School on Friday, March 23 with some fantastic sporting raffle prizes donated by local parent and Olympic medal winner Sharron Davies.

If you wish to make a donation, or to help sponsor the trip, please contact sammvince@hotmail.co.uk.