School pupils from Glasgow's East End design football strips

Challenged with designing their own football kit for the school team, Elim Mulubrhan, Dominic Clegg, Freyha Aytoun and Sainabou Krzeminska from St. Michael's Primary have been left with 'a great sense of pride' after creating something that will last 'for years to come.' 

Anton Gallagher, deputy head of the East End primary school, said: "We launched a school competition where each kid submitted an idea for a football kit. 

"It gave the kids the real-life opportunity to design something and be designers themselves.

"Everyone was so motivated by the competition."

However, what the school did not tell the pupils, was that their designs were not just ideas on paper.

Anton explained: "We kept the fact that the designs would be turned into actual strips as a surprise from the kids. 

"We announced the four winners at a school assembly and the pupils were so shocked when their name was read out.

"It was an amazing boost for their self-confidence."

The competition was run with MDH Recruitment, based in Rutherglen. 

The company, which was looking to help out youth football teams at the time, were asked by the school to help out with some extra footballs and goals for training, but the team 'took it much further'.

Anton added: "I contacted MDH and asked them if they would be willing to help us.

"We were just looking for extra footballs and some goals for training, but they went further. 

"After launching the design competition, the MDH Recruitment team picked four of their favourite designs and made them into full strips with socks, goalkeeper jerseys, tops and shorts.

"MDH came to the assembly and presented the strips to the winning children and the kids were so delighted.

"This would have cost us thousands of pounds so we have such a great deal of gratitude. It's such a great partnership." 

Gordon Coyle, founder of MDH Recruitment, added: "MDH Recruitment were delighted to support such spectacular children at St. Michael's Primary School.

"Our work within the community is extremely important to us at MDH Recruitment and we have been privileged to meet some very talented individuals as a result of giving back, locally.

"The children at St Michaels are an inspiration to us all and we were delighted to assist them with their sporting endeavours by providing full team kits and sports equipment.

"We ran a competition for the children to design the winning kits and since every entry was unique and vibrant, we couldn’t pick just one winner, we chose four."

Anton believes that the new strips will not only serve children for years to come but will also help tackle the cost of living crisis. 

He explained: "These strips will be used for the 100s of kids that train at the school every week, as well as pupils in the future. 

"We have children in infant and upper school and even once they're gone, these strips will still be used.

"The strips will serve pupils for years to come and will leave behind a legacy.

"They will also help tackle the cost of living crisis as the school and parents will not need to buy strips for school training and games."

The school are looking to continue working with MDH Recruitment in the future. 

To find out more about MDH, click HERE