Shelter England are asking clubs and fans to ‘ditch their home shirt’ for their games over the festive period to raise awareness of the housing emergency.

Pitching In Northern Premier League clubs are showing their support for the campaign, with Glossop wearing their 'away' orange kit in their home fixtures just before Christmas and on New Year's Day, while other Premier, East, West and Midlands Division clubs will also back the initiative over the course of the festive period.

Homelessness in this country, and housing more generally, is reaching a critical point, with 180,000 households having been made homeless since the start of the pandemic. Shelter’s work is more important than ever and football is key to their strategy in tackling the housing emergency over the next three years.

Football can be a powerful ally in the fight to end the housing emergency and Shelter is actively encouraging as many clubs in England as possible to get involved with #NoHomeKit campaign. This follows support for the campaign from a number of Cymru Premier, Cymru North and South Divisions, English Football League clubs as well as the National League, Southern, Isthmian leagues in England.

The unique connection clubs throughout the country have to their communities will help Shelter England’s goals as an organisation and the idea of ‘home’ on which this campaign is based.

Osama Bhutta, director of campaigns at Shelter, said: “Homelessness has risen dramatically over the last decade. Right now, 91 families in England are made homeless every single day – and sadly even more people could lose their homes with a challenging winter ahead of us.

“Access to a safe and secure home means everything, it gives all of us the foundation for a better life – yet too many people don’t have one. I’ve been a football fan my entire life, and firmly believe that football is uniquely placed to help, given the importance of ‘home’ in the game."

“Your clubs are at the heart of communities across the country and having your support for No Home Kit will enormously help to raise awareness of homelessness, and what we can all do to fight it."

"No Home Kit is a simple idea that anyone can get involved with to help make a difference. We’re just asking the football community to unite for the festive round of fixtures by swapping their team’s ‘home’ colours for their away or third kit as a powerful act of solidarity for people without a home."

“Too many children in England will be without a home this Christmas and, sadly, many more individuals and families are at risk of losing their homes with a tough winter ahead."

“We hope as many clubs, players and fans as possible continue to join #NoHomeKit so we can harness the unifying power of football and do something special to help those facing and experiencing homelessness in England.”

Glossop's Director Chris Haughton spoke of the board's pleasure for the Club to lend its support to such a worthwhile campaign.

“This is an excellent initiative, which highlights the sad plight of many in our society at this time.

“The Club is pleased to play its part in the #NoHomeKit campaign, and we hope our supporters will join us in embracing this worthy cause during the Festive period.”