Bobby Moore Fund
The Mr Brightside project trustee, Nicky Johns the former Millwall, Charlton and QPR goalkeeper and father of Stephen was invited along with former England and Watford striker Luther Blissett to represent the Professional Footballers Association on the Bobby Moore Fund Project Namibia 2011.
A team of over 40 people embarked on the trip, leaving in early June, taking 24 hours to reach their destination of the Tubusis Community School in Damaraland, Namibia, to rebuild the dilapidated and neglected school in the Daraaland bush, which housed and educated 260 children between the ages of 4 and 15.
The team spent their days renovating the school where children travel up to 7 hours for board and schooling. The team carried out a range of tasks that included painting, glazing, tiling, fitting new doors, repairing school desks and chairs, renovating the shower and toilet blocks as well as improving the drainage system.
The project also put up new football and netball pitches as well as leaving the children with personal gifts and the school sports equipment. Daily football sessions took place under the guidance of Luther and Nicky with 60 to 70 young people attending most evenings.
Project Namibia raised an amazing £180,000 to aid research into bowel cancer. A disease that can affect men and women of any age but is most common in the over 50s.
Nicky Johns: It was an amazing experience and bought home to you what a privileged life we lead. The young people had nothing but were all happy and content making do with what ever they had. To play football the children used a sock stuffed with rags as the ball with stones put down as goals. The memories will last with me forever.
