Local businesses urged to support Stockport County’s Kits by County scheme

Following the success of the pilot of Stockport County’s Kits By County scheme to ensure all schoolchildren in the borough can access physical education, local businesses are being invited to support the campaign’s next phase.

Demand has almost doubled since the initial distribution in September 2024, which saw more than 3,000 sets of free PE kits being donated to pupils throughout the borough and over fifty primary schools across Stockport have now signed up.

This pioneering scheme was launched in a bid to encourage more local school children to access the benefits of physical education, become more active and engaged in sport. Feedback from teachers at local primary schools, report an increasing number of pupils sitting out PE lessons because they didn’t possess an appropriate kit – often due to pressures on the family purse – and were embarrassed about borrowing items from the school’s lost property box.

Recognising that the football club could help to address this issue, club owner Mark Stott funded the Phase One distribution with each individual PE kit comprising a t-shirt, a pair of shorts, a pair of joggers and a sweatshirt. Community Trust staff and County first-teamers helped to pack and deliver the PE kits at Edgeley Park prior to their distribution to over 30 Stockport primary schools.

Since then, the Club has looked to raise further funds to support the second phase of distribution. This included raising £20,000 for Kits By County during the EFL League Two Champions’ trophy tour, which saw club president Steve Bellis proudly visiting a variety of venues with County’s silverware in tow.

However, to meet this year’s increased demand for kits from Stockport primary schools, the Club is now aiming to provide up to 5,000 kitbags for pupils deemed most in need.

To help meet this target, Club owner Mark Stott is urging local businesses to lend their support to help raise funds for the campaign. He said:

“Football should be a force for good, and clubs like ours have a responsibility to take care of the communities we represent by addressing wider health and wellbeing issues.

“Kits By County shows this in action by providing thousands of free PE kits to children across Stockport who are most in need. Having the right kit enables children to access the benefits of physical activity and helps foster a sense of pride and belonging too.

“We’ve still got a way to go with fundraising before September, and we’re calling on businesses across the borough to get involved. Every bit of support goes straight back into helping children and families in our local community, and that’s something we can all get behind.”

Any businesses who wish to pledge their support can get in touch via email or can contribute via Stockport County Community Trust’s Just Giving page.