Bristol City FC gifts Christmas match tickets to local child through Salvation Army Appeal

For one young Bristol City Football Club (FC) fan who might be facing a challenging Christmas, the festive season will now include the unforgettable roar of the crowd and the thrill of a live match, thanks to a heartwarming gift from their favourite club. 

Bristol City FC has donated a voucher for two home match tickets to The Salvation Army in Bristol South, to be given to a child through the church’s annual Christmas Appeal. The gift will be paired with a young supporter identified via referral forms, ensuring the tickets bring joy to a family in the local community.  

Bristol City FC are seventh fourth placed in the EFL Championship. Their Christmas home match is on 20 December at 3pm when they host third second placed Middlesborough FC.*

The donation came after The Salvation Army in Bristol South reached out to the club as part of its Christmas campaign. Captain Matt Kinsey, leader of The Salvation Army in Bristol South, said the gesture is a significant show of community solidarity. 

Matt said, “Sometimes, the grandest gestures of hope come in the simplest forms. To Bristol City Football Club, these two tickets might seem like a small gift, but for one child in our community, they are a passport to a world of pure, unbridled joy—a memory that will outlast the final whistle and shine for a lifetime.  In that moment, they are not a child enjoying a football match, but a super fan feeling the roar of the crowd, and that is a priceless and life-changing gift. Our hearts are full of gratitude for this continued partnership, which proves that true change often begins with a single act of kindness.” 

The gift highlights the powerful role of positive experiences for local young people and underscores the growing need for support that the Christmas Appeal addresses each year. The Salvation Army in Bristol South runs its Christmas Appeal annually to support local families struggling during the festive season. 

Matt says the church and charity this year seeks to distribute Christmas presents to at least 70 children in the community they serve.   

During the year, the church and charity in Bristol South serves its community through a multi-faceted approach focused on practical support, spiritual care, and social connection. For example, their provision of community food programmes which directly address food poverty by supplying nutritious food to individuals and families in crisis. Furthermore, they foster fellowship and spiritual well-being by hosting weekly worship services and various community groups, creating a vital support network. 

Their service extends to specialised programmes such as the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (S.E.N.D) Lego club and multigenerational programmes which offer a supportive space for families. To learn more about their work and also donate towards their local programmes visit their website: Bristol South | The Salvation Army.  

*At the time of going to press