In memory of the 72 lives lost in the tragedy, Nike and Grenfell Athletic have launched and emotionally charged shirt made from fabric that survived the Grenfell fire.
In June 2017, the Grenfell Tower block in west London caught fire, burning for over 60 hours. In one of the UK’s biggest tragedies in modern history, 72 people passed away. Seven years on, and Grenfell Athletic FC — a club launched following the tragedy — is ensuring the legacy of the lives lost will always be remembered. In a campaign named ‘Fabric of the Community’, the great work the club have done has continued with this season’s kit — made using fabric donated from surviving items.
With a unique story woven into every shirt, each crest sees a ring of varied colours around it. With NFC technology, fans can interact with the kit via their smartphones to watch the emotional backstories of each donated fabric. Scan the crest, and you'll hear from a donator, one being Nick Burton, whose wife Maria sadly passed away as a result of the tragedy.
In Nick’s case, he donated the shirt he wore that night, saying “This is one of the only connections that I have to my home. I feel that it’s time to let go and now it will live on as part of the fabric of the community – the community that is everything to us. We have a lived experience and the love and strength of our community is just brilliant.” In addition to those local to the community, others such as Hector Bellerin and One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson have also donated to the campaign.
Tomlinson donated one of his treasured Doncaster Rovers shirts, saying that Rovers shirts are what remind him most of how football can promote community, and in solidarity with those affected by the Grenfell tragedy he wanted to share a sentimental piece of his local club.
Bellerin, meanwhile, donated a match-worn shirt from his time at fellow London club and Premier League giants Arsenal, continuing his support for Grenfell having previously pledged over £19,000 to support victims in the aftermath of the fire.
The innovative home kit has 30 variations each with a subtle design difference relating to a fabric donated from a member of the community club’s local area. Rupert Taylor, founder of Grenfell Athletic, said: “Our club was born out of a desire to heal and bring our community ever closer through the power of football. We’re so thankful for every person who donated their fabrics and bravely shared their stories, and we hope the project offers an additional avenue for healing and a platform for showing how inspirational our community truly is. The hearts and souls of the people of Grenfell are woven into Grenfell Athletic’s DNA, and now they’ll be woven into the club’s shirts, too.”
The Grenfell Athletic FC shirt is available to buy through Nike’s teamwear kit supply and commerce partner kitlocker.com.
