Ex-Hearts star teams up with Haaland and Birmingham record breaker for fantastic reasons in classy initiative
A former Hearts derby hero is part of an initiative looking to help school children enjoy free football camps this summer.
A former Hearts star has teamed up with Erling Haaland, Joško Gvardiol and İlkay Gündoğan and Birmingham City striker Jay Stansfield to promote an initiative that will see over 30,000 children offered free places at summer football camps.
Kelloggs have confirmed they will run 70 camps around the United Kingdom this summer after the initiative proved to be a big success last summer with over 58,000 camp visits. As part of a partnership with the English Football League, Premier League champions Manchester City and Premiership duo Celtic and Rangers, 30,000 places will be available for school children between the ages of five and 15 to take part and they will have an opportunity to win a new Kellogg’s football shirt.
Former Hearts loan star Ellis Simms was part of the launch of the initiative as he took his place alongside the likes of Haaland and Gündoğan to surprise a number of children wearing the shirt. The heartwarming video shows a number of players wearing disguises before revealing their true identities, much to the surprise of their young supporters.
Speaking about the initiative, Northern Ireland international Will Grigg said: “It's so important for kids to be active, not just to stay healthy but because of the social benefits that playing sport can bring. Growing up, playing football gave me the opportunity to make new friends, feel part of a team and develop a sense of identity. It also taught me how to be resilient, build confidence and self-belief – and it still teaches kids those same life skills today.”
Kellogg’s UK managing director, Chris Silcock added: “The UK is football mad and we know that this love for the beautiful game starts from a young age. Our camps give kids the chance to get outside this summer and follow in the footsteps of their footballing heroes, guided by FA-qualified coaches. They also help take the summer holiday pressure off parents. Our goal is to give as many children as possible across the country the opportunity to stay active this summer through football. With Kellogg's Football Camps launching at more than 150 locations across the UK, most families will find a camp near them.”
For more information and to sign up click here.
What did Simms say about his time with Hearts?
Simms spent the second half of the 2021/22 season on loan at Tynecastle and scored seven goals and provided one assist in 21 appearances and was part of the side that were beaten by Rangers in the Scottish Cup Final. Since returning to parent club Everton, the striker has spent time on loan at Sunderland before making a permanent move to Coventry City during the summer of 2023.
Speaking about his time at Hearts and his goal against Hibs in the Scottish Cup semi-final, he told the Evening News: “As soon as I came here, I knew there was a massive rivalry with the Hibs. I’ve been lucky enough to play them three times now. The fans are great and we knew both sides would be up for it at the weekend in a cup semi-final. We played them the previous week and won so we didn’t want to become too complacent. We knew they would have a right go at us at Hampden. We had to dig in during the second half especially and in the end we got the win.”