Ritchie Beckett, a 45-year-old technology worker from Stockport, has turned a childhood passion for football into a full-time mission: leaving free footballs at parks and playing fields to encourage children to play outdoors and reduce screen time.
Beckett, who grew up in Cheadle Hulme and now lives in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, said he often lacked a ball as a child, despite being 'football mad'. He believes that simply having a ball can introduce children to the game who might otherwise never get the chance.
A social media idea that grew
The idea began while Beckett worked for Deliveroo, where he suggested filling a pitch with branded footballs as a grassroots initiative. Though that plan never materialised, the concept stayed with him. In February this year, he bought his first batch of balls with his own money and, with his sons William and Thomas, left them at local parks in Stockport, marked with '#FoundFootball' and shared on social media for people to find.
His first order was just 10 balls, left on fields he used to play on. He has since distributed around 300 Samba or Infinity balls, including a single drop of 100 balls at St Thomas Rec in Heaton Mersey, Stockport. Other drops have taken place in Manchester city centre, Bury, Wigan, and elsewhere.
Celebrity support and expansion
Beckett, a lifelong Manchester United fan, even left balls at Bradford Park near the Etihad Stadium after City's 1-0 win in the Manchester derby, honouring a pledge to drop balls near the winner's stadium.
He has received backing from former boxing champion Frank Bruno, who did a drop in Southend, Essex, and former footballer Danny Pugh. Beckett has personally spent around £1,000 on the project, which he acknowledges cannot continue indefinitely.
Found Football is now registered as a not-for-profit organisation, with a supply arrangement with ChildrensFootball.com and funding from sponsors. Beckett hopes to expand the scheme nationwide, particularly around host cities for the 2028 European Championships in the UK and Ireland.
Beckett said the country has a 'great footballing pyramid' but that few fun ways exist to get involved in the game outside organised clubs. He noted that parks are not as busy as they were in the 1990s or 2000s due to distractions, adding that technology and AI will amplify that trend, but he is not against technology, just seeking the right balance.
He said the goal is to get kids active and off screens, using the region's parks and playing fields. He added that in 20 years, one of the children who found a ball could represent England, saying, 'There are endless possibilities.'
