12,000 kits and counting: Kits by County marks three years

Stockport County’s Kits by County program, now in its third year, has delivered 12,311 free PE kits to local primary schools — a 72% increase in kits supplied this year alone — reaching 45 schools (67.5% of primaries in Stockport). The initiative, supported by the club, its Community Trust, fans and partners, aims to remove financial barriers to PE participation and has been linked to higher attendance and engagement in physical education.

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Stockport County is celebrating another successful year of Kits by County, the club's pioneering initiative that provides free PE kits to primary school children across the borough. Now in its third year, the scheme was created to break down the financial barriers that can stop children from taking part in physical education, helping every child engage in sport without feeling singled out or left behind. A Year of Record Growth Kits by County has grown significantly since its launch, with 12,311 PE kits delivered in total across the three years of the campaign. This year alone saw a 72% increase in kits provided compared to 2024, taking the initiative to 45 different primary schools — 67.5% of all primary schools in Stockport. This year's milestone delivery saw first-team players Adama Sidibeh and Brad Hills join the Community Trust in delivering a van full of PE kits to Bridge Hall Primary School. The pair spent time speaking with pupils on the day, helping to make it the most successful year of the campaign so far. Club and Community Working Together Speaking about the achievement, Stockport County CEO Gavin Bailey praised the collective effort behind the scheme: "It's a phenomenal achievement that the Community Trust and the club have managed to achieve over the last three years. We've supplied over 12,000 kits to schools locally, and that's really enabled children to have the opportunity to get into sport. "We've got to thank all the fans; their contribution has come from every time they've bought a kit, a woolly hat, a scarf. Even on a matchday, whether that be some food and beverage purchases. I think Stockport County is great in that it's 90 minutes of football, but we also have to serve the area that we surround ourselves with. We want our fanbase and our local community to both be really proud of what Stockport County do." Making a Real Difference Teachers and pupils alike have felt the benefit of Kits by County, with schools reporting increased attendance and higher participation in PE lessons once kits were provided. For many children, having the right kit has meant being able to take part with full confidence — and with it, a stronger sense of belonging both on the pitch and in the classroom. With three years of growth behind it, Kits by County stands as a testament to what club and community can achieve together, and the campaign shows no sign of slowing down as it continues to reach more schools and more children across Stockport. A big thank you to LSH Auto UK, Mercedes-Benz and Site Supply for supporting Kits by County. We'd also like to thank our corporate partners, including Starkey, Gorvins, Man@Manchester and Stockport Rocks. To support next year’s kit donation, please click the link here and give what you can.

Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: stockportcounty.com

Companies Mentioned

Stockport County, Community Trust, Starkey, Gorvins, Man@Manchester, Stockport Rocks

Stockport County: Stockport County is a football club that runs the Kits by County initiative providing free PE kits to primary school children across the borough and whose first-team players joined deliveries.

Community Trust: The Community Trust is Stockport County's community arm that works with the club to deliver Kits by County and other local outreach activities.

Starkey: Starkey is a corporate partner of Stockport County and one of the club's corporate partners thanked for supporting Kits by County.

Gorvins: Gorvins is a corporate partner of Stockport County and one of the club's corporate partners thanked for supporting Kits by County.

Man@Manchester: Man@Manchester is a corporate partner of Stockport County and one of the club's corporate partners thanked for supporting Kits by County.

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