They gave the shirts off their backs

The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, will present Hobart United Football Club players with new uniforms and equipment.

WHEN: 1pm TODAY Sunday 5 May
WHERE: Guildford Young College, 94 Barrack Street Hobart (sports oval car park off Patrick Street Hobart)

Mr Wilkie donated $1,500 to Hobart United to fund new uniforms, balls and equipment after learning that players had donated their own kits to asylum seekers detained in Pontville Immigration Detention Centre.

Hobart United played a friendly football match against a team of Pontville detainees on Harmony Day (21 March) 2013. Because the asylum seekers’ team didn’t have a uniform, Hobart United players donated their own gear to the Pointville detainees after the game.

Most of Hobart United Football Club players come from a humanitarian refugee background in Hobart’s growing African community.

“Football is so important to these players and the generosity they exhibited to the Pontville detainees was exceptional,” Mr Wilkie said.

Mr Wilkie has also secured $1.2m funding for a world-class all-weather synthetic soccer pitch as part of the $8.7m funding he secured for redevelopment of the KGV sports and community precinct. This was followed by the announcement of $1.2m funding Mr Wilkie secured for redevelopment of the Wellesley Park soccer ground in June 2012.

“It is really heartening to see football in Tasmania going from strength to strength at the moment because football is a game that unites the community,” Mr Wilkie said.

Players from Hobart United Football Club will be available for a brief exhibition match to demonstrate their new equipment.

Andrew Wilkie MP, Independent Member for Denison