Ex-Sunderland player Pascal Chimbonda hands out hundreds of signed footballs in Jarrow

Chimbonda played for Tottenham before signing with Sunderland AFC in 2008 and later moving to non-league club Washington FC.

He teamed up with shopkeeper and community champion Nico Ali to donate 250 signed footballs to budding players on the Scotch Estate in Jarrow.

Nico who has run the Premier shop in Edinburgh Road for 30 years footed the bill, in his latest lockdown good-deed.

He appeared on Channel 4’s Unsung Heroes with his brother and business partner Taz last week, in a celebration of their efforts for the community during the coronavirus crisis.

Over the last three months, the pair have donated more than 3,500 loaves of bread and cartons of milk to vulnerable residents who can’t leave their homes.

They have delivered dozens of food packages to hospitals and NHS staff in the region, as well as supporting a number of local food banks with sizeable donations.

Among other kind-hearted gestures Nico has been surprising residents with treats such as birthday cakes, gifts and pizza deliveries, in an attempt to cheer them up during the lockdown.

BBC North East and Cumbria Sport presenter Jeff Brown also surprised the pair with a visit to the shop on Wednesday, June 10.

Nico said: “It was a brilliant day, we had such a good response we ran out of footballs, I was worried I was going to have to turn some kids away.

“I want to thank Pascal Chimbonda for signing all the footballs and supporting me to do this and BBC’s Jeff Brown for coming down to see us.”

The shopkeeper says he has one more surprise up his sleeve as the borough slowly returns to some from of normality.

He added: “Every day I have been emotional and what makes me smile is seeing the faces of my local community - I have learnt it’s not about money, it’s about loving and caring for people.

“I have never stopped supporting my local community and will continue to do so for as long as I can.”

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