Football club joinsin Haiti relief effort

Heather Baxter jetted off to Florida this week to take part in the Miami marathon. Once she has completed the gruelling race, she plans to step on board a luxury cruise ship and travel around the Caribbean.

And as one of ship’s ports of call is a private resort on the north of Haiti, called Labadee, Heather decided to seize the opportunity and help deliver some much-needed supplies to the survivors of the earthquake.

She said: “My family and friends have provided me with money and clothes, which I will be donating to the cruise company, Royal Caribbean International, so that they can be dispersed to help those affected by the earthquake.

“I was also approached by chairman of Larne FC, Archie Smyth, who asked me to take some of the team’s old football shirts with me to donate to the people of Haiti.”

Heather said it was a “lovely gesture” by the football club and added that she was glad to be able to help the struggling Haitian people.

“ I have been inundated with donations from generous people who want to help in some small way,” she added.

“I realise that a few hundred pounds and some clothes is just a drop in the ocean when you look at the bigger picture. But I feel that if everyone does their part and donates something to the cause then it will make a big difference to people affected by this disaster.”

Mr Smyth accepted that a few extra pieces of clothing would not make much of an impact on the millions of Haitian people who have been left homeless as a result of the disaster. But he added that the football club was keen to provide assistance in whatever way it could.

“We are glad to be able to help in some small way and Heather is welcome to take as many of these shirts as she can carry. It would be great if every club was to donate some of their old shirts to the cause, but we are just happy to do our part.”

The football club is also organising a fundraiser at Inver social club on Saturday, with some of the proceeds going towards the relief effort in Haiti.