Arborfield is a growing area of Berkshire, near Wokingham and has developed from a rural parish into a ‘sustainable village’. The former Garrison site – home to the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) – is now Arborfield Green with the potential of 3,500 new homes – including Reading Football Club’s former training ground Hogwood.
Football kits from Arborfield Aces Youth FC are helping inspire young people thousands of miles away in Tanzania, thanks to the efforts of long-serving club committee member and development lead, Will Barnard.
Since helping establish Arborfield Aces Youth Football Club in 2014, Barnard has played a key role in the club’s growth and development. As a committee member and one of the driving forces behind the club’s continued progress, he has always believed that football can be a powerful tool for bringing communities together, building confidence, and creating opportunities for young people.
That belief has now extended far beyond Berkshire.
Over recent years, Will has developed a strong personal connection with Tanzania, particularly the Moshi region in the north of the country, situated in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. Through regular visits, he has built friendships within local communities and witnessed first-hand both the challenges and the incredible enthusiasm young people have for football.
Aided by his good friend Abe Moshi of Exuberant Kilimanjaro safaris, Will began transporting donated Arborfield Aces football kits to schools, orphanages, and community football projects across the region.
“Football is a universal language,” said Will. “Whether you’re in Berkshire or Moshi, children pull on a football shirt and immediately feel part of something. Seeing the pride on their faces when they receive a kit that would otherwise be sitting in storage back home is incredibly rewarding.”
The initiative gives a second life to outgrown or retired team kits while helping support grassroots football programmes that often operate with limited resources. For many of the children receiving the donations, proper football kit is a luxury that would otherwise be difficult to access.
Beyond the kit donations, Will hopes to strengthen the relationship between local communities in Berkshire and Tanzania, creating awareness of the positive impact that grassroots sport can have across different cultures and environments.
“What I’ve found in Tanzania is a real passion for football and an incredible sense of community,” he explained. “The game brings people together in exactly the same way it does at Arborfield Aces. There’s a growing grassroots movement in the Moshi region, and I’m passionate about supporting it however I can.”
The project reflects the community spirit that has been at the heart of Arborfield Aces since its formation. While the club continues to develop young players in Berkshire, its impact is now being felt on pitches, school grounds, and orphanage fields thousands of miles away.
As Will prepares for future visits, he hopes to continue delivering donated equipment and building lasting connections that benefit young people both in the UK and Tanzania.
