SOS Kit Aid
1255. John Broadfoot
John Broadfoot created SOS Kit Aid sending £6 million worth of second-hand sports kit to over 250,000 disadvantaged people in 44 countries, providing them with the opportunity to play and enjoy sports such as rugby and cricket.
In addition to this, by recycling sports kit the charity has helped to save over 750 tonnes of environmentally damaging CO2 emissions which would have been produced through the manufacture of new kit and in the disposal of old clothing in landfill sites. The charity is closely supported by World Rugby, the sport’s world governing body, and its Chairman Bill Beaumont (pictured on the left with John above).
John’s award coincides with the ongoing 2019 Rugby World Cup, and he was presented with his award by the Secretary of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Nicky Morgan MP (pictured below).
In a personal letter to John, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“I know you do this with no thought of praise or reward, but allow me to offer my own recognition of how SOS Kit Aid has sent £6 million worth of second-hand sports kit to over 250,000 disadvantaged people in 44 nations, enabling them to play sports invented and codified in this country.”
John said:
“I am thrilled to accept this recognition on behalf of my whole charity. We are a great team of over 20 people and without them, the support of our sponsors and the rugby’s world governing body – World Rugby – our charity simply does not work. We are delighted to be associated with so many other inspiring winners of this prestigious award. We believe that within 10/20 years everybody we will have to recycle literally everything and we like to think the tried and tested SOS model is at the forefront of tackling climate change.”