Meet the Offerton resident donating football boots to underprivileged children
By Alasdair Perry
6th Jun 2023 | Local News
David Normington, an Offerton resident and ex-nurse at Stepping Hill Hospital, has been supporting grassroots football in a remarkable way.
He has donated hundreds of football boots to the Macclesfield-based Savage Foundation, spending his own money on shoes to spruce up and donate to those less fortunate.
"I have loved football all my life, and it has been playing on my mind all these years that I wanted to do something to give back to the footballing world," said David.
"There are children who can't afford a pair of boots, and I was in the same position as a kid. My dad bought me a pair of boots, but I could only wear them for pleasure [and not to play with as it was expensive]."
David started collecting boots two years ago, searching charity shops for shoes to buy, clean, and then donate elsewhere.
The Headway charity shop in Poynton even set up a partnership with David; manager Helen Share always looks to get more pairs for him, even delivering them to his door.
"My ambition is to give back to football, after all the joy it has given me throughout the years", David says. Although himself a Macclesfield fan, such support for underprivileged young players is something which all followers of football can get behind.
David spends his own money on buying the boots, and the energy bills involved in cleaning them. He'll add new laces to them, polish them, and even change the studs if necessary.
Some boots can't be cleaned in the washing machine; he meticulously restores these pairs by hand. David reckons he has spent hundreds of pounds on the project thus far.
Including his current inventory, David has breathed new life into 70 pairs of football boots, providing an entry level into the sport for young footballers.
"My ambition is to give back to football, after all the joy it has given me throughout the years"
Poynton charity shop manager Helen Share said: "David first came to Headway Poynton earlier this year and was such a gentleman", said Helen.
"We actually don't sell a lot of boots, so we were delighted to sell him them at a special offer.
"He kept coming in so we had to ask 'David, how many children have you got?' and that's when we found out about his special project for The Savage Foundation.
"So I made it a mission to collect them for him, because I thought it was such a wonderful thing he was doing."
David donates the boots to the Savage Foundation based in Macclesfield. It is a community interest company set up by footballer Robbie Savage, who states: "[It] will be dedicated to delivering my passionate belief that all youngsters should be able to access free grassroots football regardless of their background or ability, with the aim that no child should be disadvantaged."
If you've got some children's boots (or teenage) knocking about the house and want to donate them to David's project, just donate them at Headway Poynton and mention Nub News.
Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Stockport Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.
Please consider following Stockport Nub News on Facebook or Twitter
New stockport Jobs Section Launched!!
Vacancies updated hourly!!
Click here: stockport jobs
Share:
