A POP-UP shop selling vintage, new and retro football shirts in Basingstoke has raised an incredible £9,000 for cancer charities. 

Football Shirts For Charity opened in Festival Place in October 2022 for three months to raise money for the Bobby Moore Fund and Cancer Research UK.

The shop was the brainchild of football fans and colleagues Jayme Sporton and Tania Harding who decided to do something to raise money for causes close to their hearts.

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The pair have both been affected by cancer in people very close to them and saw an opportunity to do something to make a difference by selling football shirts to raise money for charity.

A total of £9,000 was raised during the shop’s three-month opening.

Football shirts were donated to the shop from around the world, from international teams to non-league sides, with all profits donated to the two charities.

Jayme and Tania work together as education consultants but their work dried up during Covid-19 lockdowns, inspiring them to think of something else to fill their time.

Jayme, a 49-year-old father-of-two from Basingstoke, wanted to do something to raise money for cancer charities after his friend died of bowel cancer.

“I wanted to do something to honour his name,” he explained, adding: “I have had a passion for football shirts and thought ‘what can I do to combine the two?' We put out some requests and people started sending us shirts and it exploded from there.”

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Tania, 44, from Alton, said football has always been a big part of her life and is a passion she shares with her father.

When her dad was diagnosed with bowel cancer aged 42, he was given less than 15 per cent chance of survival.

“Dad and I took solace watching matches together,” she said, adding; “Though it was very traumatic, we are thankful every day that he survived cancer.”

Although her dad was one of the lucky ones, Tania’s life was again affected by cancer when she lost a university friend, Caroline, to the illness.

Tania said her personal experiences of cancer had inspired her to support cancer charities.

The pair believe that every shirt has a story and that the nation’s passion for football is what has inspired people to get on board and support Football Shirts For Charity.

The pair said they were “delighted” to raise so much money.

They added: “Football Shirts For Charity as a shop in Festival Place has been a huge success.

“We're delighted to have met so many truly amazing people and to have shared many stories, including some that were very emotional. To raise £9,105 in three months has surpassed our dreams.

“It's great to raise awareness for prevention, earlier detection and better survival rates from cancer.

“We’d like to thank everyone who visited the store, donated shirts or made a purchase, as well as the staff at Festival Place for helping us realise the dream.

“We continue with our online store and more fundraising so would still love to receive any shirt donations, which can be passed to us via the Customer Lounge at Festival Place.”

Festival Place centre director Neil Churchill said: “We are delighted that our fantastic customers turned out in force to support Football Shirts for Charity - this is an amazing sum to have raised in just three months.

“People still wanting to donate shirts haven’t missed the boat; they will be able to use the new collection point that we are installing in the customer lounge.”