MEMBERS of a York youth club are to received a donation of football strips from York City thanks to a charity initiative by club sponsor Benenden Health.

Earlier this year the York-based private healthcare company offered fans the chance to swap their old shirts, which had the previous Benenden logo on the front, for new ones, free of charge.

York City players Tom Allan and Tom Platt handed over some of the donated shirts to 17-year-old Declan Markwick, a volunteer football coach at Door 84, a youth club based in The Groves.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, a City patron, arranged for Door 84 to be one of the first good causes in the city to benefit from the scheme.

Dr Sentamu said: “It is good news that these York City shirts are finding such a good home. Door 84 provides great support to young people.

“These shirts, so generously donated by Benenden, will help Declan Markwick as he starts to provide football coaching to local children. Who knows, in years to come perhaps we will see the next generation of York City stars coming from The Groves.”

Heidi Haywood, centre manager and youth worker at Door 84, thanked Benenden Health and Dr Sentamu and said receiving a football shirt from a York City player would be a “fantastic experience” for the youngsters.

Paul Keenan, head of communications at Benenden Health, said: ‘When we rebranded in January of this year and offered the York City fans new shirts in place of their old ones, we really wanted to ensure that the old shirts went to benefit good causes.

“Working with the Archbishop we identified Door 84 as a hugely worthwhile youth club to benefit from our donated shirts.”