00:00, 11 December 2024
Words by Abi Scaife, Staff Writer, London
For the fifth year in a row, this amazing couple are sending out football kits for underprivileged children to open on Christmas morning.
For five years, Paul and Lizzie Watson, alongside co-founder Vix Leyton, have been collecting new or like-new football shirts as gifts for children who may not otherwise be opening a gift on Christmas Day. Supported by Paul’s brother, comedian Mark Watson, Kitmas is putting smiles on faces all across the UK - and has even inspired a similar campaign in Canada.
"It feels good to see something like that at Christmas, where you can actually see [you’re] making a difference to hundreds of kids,” says Mark, speaking to Smiley News about Kitmas. "Christmas is a time of quite a lot of waste... sometimes it’s nice to have a tangible reason to give and make a difference."
Anyone who is a fan of Mark’s comedy knows that he is a football fan - and what could be better than mixing that with Christmas?
Kitmas is something Mark, Paula and Lizzie are all incredibly passionate about - and it is one of those wonderful charities that is run on the steam of a few people who truly believe in what they are doing.
"There’s a purity about a really homespun charity like this—it’s a pure effort to do a small, nice thing in the world, which we need more of,” admits Mark. "There’s something special about this charity—its aim is specific: making sure no kid goes without a present at Christmas."
Every year, Paul and Lizzie’s home is filled with football shirts of all kinds, which they painstakingly pack up and ship off to their new homes, all in time for Christmas Day.
Paul, co-founder of Kitmas, said:
“We’ve been blown away by the generosity of football fans year after year. Donning the colours of your favourite team is a landmark moment for so many kids—it’s not just about the shirt; it’s about feeling part of something bigger. With families under more financial pressure than ever, Kitmas is a way for us all to come together and share a little joy this festive season.”
The world is just getting more expensive - and that goes for football shirts, too. But Paul, Lizzie and Mark firmly believe money should never be a barrier to children getting involved in something they love - and something that is so incredibly good for them, too.
"Football has always been in our blood... It’s good to try and swing the balance a bit for kids who might otherwise miss out due to costs,” says Mark. "The ultimate goal is to be in a situation where all kids feel like they can get involved in football, that it feels inclusive."
While Paul and Lizzie are the driving force behind Kitmas, Mark is an avid supporter of the campaign, regularly working to raise money and awareness for this incredible cause.
"I admire Paul and Lizzie for getting it to this level, and I want to do everything I can to keep pushing it forward,” adds Mark. “Football can be a force for community, something that unites people. It’s a hard sell sometimes, but projects like this show its positive side."
You can get involved in Kitmas in a number of ways - the first is by donating money via their Crowdfunder page, all of which will go towards purchasing and posting football shirts so that they can reach their new homes in time for Christmas.
The second is by rootling around in your own cupboards and drawers to find any pre-loved football shirts that you no longer need, and donating them directly to Kitmas. If this is something you would like to do, you can get in contact with Paul and Lizzie via [email protected].
Finally, if you’re a footie fiend, or you belong to a local football club or team, you can start your own Kitmas appeal in your local area; this has the added benefit of making sure kids get to represent their home team.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Create. Create is the UK's leading charity empowering lives, reducing isolation and enhancing wellbeing through the creative arts. Support them here.
Save The Children UK. Save the Children is a UK charity for children that works in over 100 countries to make sure children are fed, learning and treated fairly. Learn more here.
Barnardo’s. This is a children's charity that protects and supports children and young people in the UK who need them. Find out more here.
This article aligns with the UN SDG No Poverty Partnerships for the Goals.
