Pupils from Addington School in Croydon were presented with cricket and rugby kit by women's rugby world cup finalist, Amy Turner, on Thursday 14 July as LV= SOS Kit Aid had it's first ever UK donation day.

The award winning nationwide LV= SOS Kit Aid initiative - supported by cricket charity The Lord's Taverners - is campaigning to collect and redistribute 20,000kgs of rugby and cricket kit by the end of 2011. The charity has already run several hugely successful collection days, including recent support from Middlesex CCC at Lord's Cricket Ground in June, and is now beginning to distribute the collected kit.

Addington School's pupils have limited access to sport due to a lack of equipment funding. Thanks to LV= SOS Kit Aid this is set to change, with England women's rugby player Amy Turner presenting 30 full sets of rugby kit and 15 full sets of cricket kit to the pupils on 14 July.

The action-packed day saw local LV= employees from Croydon join the ranks as 50 pupils aged 11-14 years old participated in rugby and cricket coaching sessions hosted by LV= SOS Kit Aid which provided first hand experience of  the benefits and skills associated with sport, including teamwork, discipline and the health benefits of exercise. 

Commenting on the programme, Amy Turner, said: "Sport can have such a positive impact on young people, providing physical health benefits as well as teaching vital life skills like teamwork and respect. It is a sad fact that hundreds of thousands of youngsters across the UK don't get the chance to play sport due to a lack of kit so it's amazing to see a scheme like LV= SOS Kit Aid trying to tackle this problem."

Andrew Glatter, LV= head of social responsibility, said: "We are really pleased that the collection days have been so successful and that we can now begin to distribute the kit to those who need it. Thursday was a very special day for the scheme as until now collected kit has always been distributed overseas and we are delighted to be able to help a local school with the first donation of the year."

The campaign has the backing of celebrity ambassadors including former England cricket captains Mike Gatting and Allan Lamb, England rugby star James Haskell and England and Bath rugby heroes Gareth Chillcott and Matt Perry.

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