Brian Irvine the former Scotland International defender and a member of Hilton Church in Inverness has visited Africa twice in the last 12 months, visiting Malawi in November 2022, and Uganda in Spring 2023.

Brian has planned his visits to Africa in partnership with TeamUp a Canadian charity which seeks to bring ‘hope through the power of sport.’ TeamUp’s founder Graham Roxburgh says ‘We believe that kids from all communities deserve to experience a place of hope, belonging, purpose and opportunity.’

Brian is planning to return to Malawi for a fortnight on 25th November. As before, he’ll be coaching schoolchildren in football, organising a football tournament, and sharing his Christian faith in churches and schools. Here’s Emanuel , the Sports Director at Mitongwe, which Brian visited last year describing the work Brian is involved in.

Brian is giving freely of his time to go to Malawi, and has personally to cover the cost of his flights. He needs to raise £1000 to enable him to make this November’s trip, and will be deeply grateful for your help in reaching this target.

The children whose lives Brian will be enhancing:TeamUp operates in Mitongwe a rural community consisting of 17 villages and more than 2,400 children. About 70% of children who live in rural areas of Malawi are multidimensionally poor compared to 25% in urban areas,

Children in the Mitongwe area do not have the opportunity to play sports with coaches and have to start earning money for the family at a very young age. Many of them fall into drug or alcohol abuse at a very young age because there is no hope for a different future. TeamUp partners with Stand As One Ministry , who are providing food, education and life skills to children of all ages from a number of villages and communities.