Dear Tartan Army friends (known and unknown),

This is an appeal for football kits (and other football gear) for a children's football school in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Please read and think if you can help in any way. Thank you.

'Bubamara' Background info
The football school 'Bubamara' (Ladybug) was formed in Sarajevo in 1993, during the war. It was Predrag Pasic, ex-player of FC Sarajevo and VfB Stuttgart (1985-87) and member of Yugoslav Team for WC 1982. Pasic stayed in Sarajevo during the war and decided to start a wee football school to help Sarajevo kids to forget about the war and its consequences.

'Bubamara' is nowdays proud to gather about 600 kids, not just in Sarajevo but in 5 more cities in Bosnia. Kids are 5-18 years old, and about 300 of them are U-11. They organize not just football training sessions and tournaments, but also lectures of English language, computers and swimming summer camps.

In addition to that, the school has been working with kids with special needs, trying to increase awareness of people with mental handicaps. Pasic has been President of Special Olympics Committee and has received an award from UEFA for his contibution to promotion of sports.

The idea for 'Bubamara' Appeal
The idea for the Appeal came about one month ago when I met Bill (William Wallace TA) here in Sarajevo. He mentioned that WWTA has done something similar for kids in Sierra Leone and it might be possible to do something for kids in Bosnia, baring in mind post-war difficulties. I contacted 'Bubamara' then and arranged a meeting. Pasic is a very simple and modest guy and welcomed the idea, especially since the school (registered as an NGO) does not have support from governmental institutions.

A letter was sent to Mr David Taylor to SFA, asking for a possibility of donating some old football strips and other old stuff which can be of good use for the kids from 'Bubamara'. WWTA will be making contacts with Queens Park FC as there is a possibility for their support.

We have already identified a way of how to transport the donation and hope we might be able to have it in Sarajevo around the Christmas/New Year time.

What can YOU do to help the 'Bubamara' Appeal?
* The most simple way - if you have any football kits (strips, shorts, training wear, etc) that your kids do not need any more, think about donating them. The collection point will be organized through WWTA in Glasgow and I will post the details shortly.
* If you have a contact at your local football club or you are aware of a such possibility, please do contact them and let me know. Or please let me know who to contact and I will email them directly.
* Important - for now, we have only one collection point in Glasgow (WWTA) so I would be thankful to any individuals or TA clubs/groups which would organize a collection point in other cities in Scotland (even if it is only a couple of hours, one day during November). Please contact me if you can do this.
* Currently, we didn't think about any money contribution but if some people think this might be easier for them, we can think about that. In-kind donations are preferred option.

In the incoming days (and months), I will be posting progress updates regarding the 'Bubamara' Appeal both here and on www.scotlandia.com

If you need to email me, please use macmirza@scotlandia.com

Greetings from the city which is building a new and a better future! Thank you!

Alba Gu Brath

Well, it is just two days since the ‘Bubamara’ Appeal for football kits went public and here is quite a good update:

First of all, BIG thanks to Queens Park Football Club who was the first one to respond to the Appeal and donated tracksuits and wet weather jackets! Thanks to Lorraine from WWTA who helped with contacts at Queens Park FC, and who is following with contacts at Scottish FA.

We are well advanced now with the collection points both for Glasgow and Edinburgh. Details will be published soon at www.scotlandia.com and most probably the collection will be done once per week until the closure date.

Closure date is now identified as 10 December, as we hope to have the shipment done on 14 December. In addition to that, we might have weight limit, so the closure might occur earlier. Details will follow in the next update.

New update will follow in next 2-3 days. Best wishes from Sarajevo.

MacMirza

(more details at www.scotlandia.com)

MacMirza, I've posted that information on the Official St Mirren forum to try and get a response from the club, or some fans, and I'll try to keep updating them when you post an update here.

Best of luck with the appeal.

This time, I am very glad to let you know all the logistics details for the Appeal.

We would like to thank to the Territorial Army both in Glasgow and Edinburgh who have agreed to act as pick up points, and then get the stuff to airbase, to fly out to Bosnia on 14 December. So, the handover presentation will be arranged in Sarajevo before Christmas.

Pick up of collected football strips will be done 2pm - 7pm every Tuesday, from now to 10 December (or earlier, subject to weight limit) at the following locations of 52 Lowland Regiment:
- A Coy, East Claremont Street, in Edinburgh (map here)
- C Coy, Hotspur Street, Maryhill, in Glasgow (map here)

Thanks to everyone who contacted us with suggestions and proposals. We are hoping to publish regular updates on the progress of the Appeal at www.scotlandia.com. Moreover, all the people involved will be mentioned on the website, at least once the Appeal is over if not before. Thank you all.

Once again, pick up will be done 2pm - 7pm every Tuesday at two locations of 52 Lowland Regiment (East Claremont Street in Edinburgh, and Hotspur Street, Maryhill in Glasgow).

Best wishes from Sarajevo

MacMirza
www.scotlandia.com

Just a wee note to thank to the foolowing people who responded to the Appeal.

Big thanks to Dynamos FC u12’s from Livingston who will be sending 11 outfield tops/shorts and a goalie kit. Thanks to Gary Murray (Tap Shop Tartan Army/Dynamos FC u12’s coach).

Big thanks to Lerwick Thistle FC u14’s from the Shetland Isles (www.lerwickthistlefc.co.uk) who will be sending one full set (15 shirts/shorts + 2 goalkeepers shirts). Thanks to John Ward (Lerwick Thistle FC u14’s Manager).

Big thanks to Ms Mary Clason, Headteacher of St Mary’s RC Primary School Leith, Edinburgh, who agreed to put out an appeal for kits to the parents of all the children. Thanks to Sean for the contact.

Big thanks to three more primary schools from Edinburgh who also agreed to participate in the Appeal: St Crispin’s, St Mary’s (in East London St) and Hermitage Park. Thanks to Davie for the contacts.

Thank you all.

First Tuesday for collection coming in tomorrow 2pm-7pm, at two locations of 52 Lowland Regiment (Hotspur St in Glasgow and East Claremont St in Edinburgh).

more info at www.scotlandia.com

Just a wee update.

Fernieside Boys Club, based in the south of Edinburgh, will be joining the Appeal by donating some strips previously used by Fernieside. Special thank for this goes to Mr Stewart Laird, their leader.

Cheers.

Just a wee Monday update.

Big thanks to Kilmarnock Football Club who 'is asking football fans to donate replica strips they no longer require, to be sent to soldiers serving in Iraq and Bosnia where they will be given out as presents' (web link here). To kick start the appeal, the club will donate 12 strips from the old crocks game that was played against Ayr Utd at the start of last season.

People don't have to be Killie fans to donate strips, as they will take any football top from people who would like to help out. The gift will be sent for Christmas so there will be a deadline of Monday 15th November in Kilmarnock for people to hand their tops in to the Administration Centre at Rugby Park.

Once again, big thanks to everyone already involved with the Appeal. Especially to 52nd Lowland Regiment of the Territorial Army for their help with the collection and transport.

Collection every Tuesday 2pm-7pm, at two locations of 52 Lowland Regiment (Hotspur St in Glasgow and East Claremont St in Edinburgh).

Just a wee update.

Only a few days after Kilmarnock FC asked football fans to donate strips, they have already received about 40 of them.

Collection continues at the Administration Centre at Rugby Park in Kilmarnock, with a deadline of Monday 15th November.

Kilmarnock Football Club collected more than 400 strips as a result of their collection of strips for Bosnian and Iraqi children. Well done and big thanks to everyone who contributed!

Aberdeen Football Club will be joining Bubamara Appeal by donating their strips. Thanks to Brian for the contact.

Once again, big thanks to everyone already involved with the Appeal. Especially to 52nd Lowland Regiment of the Territorial Army for their help with the collection and transport.

Collection every Tuesday 2pm-7pm, at two locations of 52 Lowland Regiment (Hotspur St in Glasgow and East Claremont St in Edinburgh) until 10 December.

Bubamara Appeal has been spectacularly successful!

More than 700 fitba strips and kits have been collected, and about 40 brand new pairs of fitba boots.

Big THANK YOU on behalf of Bubamara kids to everyone who was involved in any way, and especially to 52nd Lowland Regiment of the Territorial Army.

The Appeal is closed now. The reason is purely logistic re bringing the kit out. The appeal has been spectacularly successful!

Looking forward to share the photos and report from handover in Sarajevo in mid-December.

Thank you again. Awrabest,

MacMirza
www.scotlandia.com

Just a wee note that all the stuff arrived safely to Sarajevo and is stored now at Bubamara. Bill and Lorraine (both WWTA) have done a great job by sorting the tops by coulours and sizes.

The handover will be done on Wednesday 22 December with a couple of hundred kids involved and two kilted TA footsoldiers.

In addition to that, kids with special needs from The Christine Witcutt day-care centre, funded by Edinburgh Direct Aid will be there as well.

Awrabest