York City Play First Game in New Kit

York City players will be running out in a new home shirt against Morecambe this Saturday (2^nd February) - following the announcement of a mid-season shirt swap that is set to benefit disadvantaged children around the world.

The club’s York-based sponsor has just rebranded to benenden health, meaning a change of logo for the front of the League Two club’s first team shirts. benenden health and the club have announced that fans who had already bought this season’s shirt can have them replaced completely free of charge, if they give their old shirt back!

Club patron Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, became the first fan to participate in the shirt swap and this Saturday will be attending the game as the team run out sporting the newly rebranded home shirt.

The change to the York City shirt is a major part of the benenden health rebrand that sees the organisation re-launch to a wider UK audience.

The “Shirt Swap”, thought to be unique in British football comes at no cost to the club and will see all old shirts going to benefit charities both at home and overseas. benenden health, supported by York City, will send half the returned shirts to projects working with children in Africa while the other half will be sent to projects supported by the Archbishop of York Youth Trust, working with children in deprived areas in the North of England.

Paul Keenan, Head of Communications at benenden health said:

““We’re looking forward to seeing the players sporting the newly branded shirts against Morecambe and we hope they bring the team luck to help them climb the table.

“We were mindful when planning the new brand that fans had already paid out for their replica shirts at the start of this season. As a caring mutual organisation it was important to us that the changes didn’t affect the York City fans which is why we’ve decided to replace all shirts free of charge and at no cost to the club. We also wanted to ensure that the old shirts went to benefit good causes so we’re delighted to be working with the Archbishop, who is Patron of the Club, to make this happen.

The Archbishop of York said:

“It’s good to receive the new York City shirt with the new benenden health logo on it and through the generosity of benenden health, children living in Africa, and in deprived areas in the North of England, will also benefit from this news.

“York City FC have consistently worked with projects supporting young people in the North of England, through the Archbishop of York Youth Trust, and also overseas to ensure that those living in difficult situations can be given the hope of a brighter future. It is wonderful that benenden health are continuing that principle and I’m looking forward to a great game of football with the new shirt proudly on display.”

York City Football Club Chairman, Jason McGill said,

“We welcome benenden health and the Archbishop to the game. We believe a mid-season shirt swap of this nature is unprecedented in football.

“Fans with this season’s home or away shirt can swap them for a new benenden health branded York City shirt at no cost and that the donated shirts will then benefit individuals and sports teams in this country and beyond. We share the same strong community ethos as our sponsor, benenden health, and hope our fans will also engage in this, worthwhile shirt swap initiative.”

Fans who have purchased a York City Shirt for the 2012-13 season can now take it to the Club Shop and swap it, free of charge, for a new shirt carrying the new benenden health branding.

The Club shop is open Monday to Friday, 10.30am to 2.30pm, with the exception of Thursday (11.30am to 5.30pm) and on match days 1.00pm to 3.00pm. The swaps can be made any time up to and including Thursday 28^th February.

Those fans who originally purchased shirts via the Club’s official website mail order service will be able to return them and receive a new one without incurring any postage costs either.