John Barnes drops in as part of Van Dash for Ethiopia

England football legend John Barnes recently visited Manchester City and other Premier League clubs to collect signed shirts from Britain’s top flight players as part of a five day UK wide Van-Dash in aid of charitable campaign Score Ethiopia – a partnership between Wash & Go shampoo and educational charity Link Ethiopia.

The City shirt, signed by Shaun Wright-Phillips, was auctioned off for £175 to raise funds for water amenities, schools and football facilities in the Gondar region of Ethiopia through www.ScoreEthiopia.com, with the total raised from shirts auctioned from every Premier League club reaching £3,100.

John took to the road in a white van after launching Score Ethiopia in 2007 with ‘no fuss’ 2-in-1 Wash & Go. He visited the town of Lalibela and experienced Ethiopia’s critical needs as well as the people’s passion to play football even in the face of adversity.

He said: “All over the world people play football with whatever they can get their hands on. A can, rolled up clothes or a squashed up milk carton make a ball. But rarely have I witnessed such passion for the ‘beautiful game’ as I did in Ethiopia. The sport brings communities together, promotes health and well being. However, Ethiopia is a beautiful yet very poor country. Wash & Go’s Score Ethiopia is looking to raise as much money as possible to deliver vital amenities and football facilities. A little money can make a lot of Ethiopian’s happy!”

The week long tour of England saw John called in at every Premier League ground, starting at Newcastle’s St. James’s Park and finishing at Portsmouth’s Fratton Park.

John is pictured receiving Shaun’s shirt from Executive Chairman Garry Cook.