UK grassroots nonprofit
We leave free footballs in your local park
Found Football exists to get kids moving. No sign-up, no membership, no barrier. Just a brand new ball.
The 100-ball drop, Stockport. St Thomas Rec, Heaton Mersey, August 2026.A line of footballs, ready to go. The 100-ball drop, Stockport, August 2026.
Latest drop · 13 September 2026
Left at Bradford Park after the derby
Balls left next to the Etihad after the Manchester derby.
Bradford Park, next to the Etihad
In the news · Manchester Evening News
The former Deliveroo boss now on a one-man crusade to get kids off their phones
Ritchie Beckett, founder. Photo: Sean Hansford / Manchester Evening News
- 11 Oct 20261ballBoltonGreater Manchester
- 10 Oct 202619ballsAround Manchester city centre, OctoberManchester
- 8 Oct 20261ballDave Whelan statue, Brick Community StadiumRobin Park, Wigan
- 6 Oct 20261ballDentonTameside
- 5 Oct 20265ballsAround WiganWigan
- 4 Oct 202619ballsAround Stockport, OctoberStockport
- 3 Oct 202655ballsAround Essex, OctoberEssex
- 2 Oct 20261ballDepot Mayfield ParkManchester
- 1 Oct 20261ballWigan Town Centre signWigan
- 30 Sep 20261ballBuryGreater Manchester
- 29 Sep 20263ballsMoss SideManchester
- 27 Sep 20261ballPiccadilly GardensManchester
- 24 Sep 202618ballsAround Manchester city centre, SeptemberManchester
- 23 Sep 20261ballDublinIreland
- 22 Sep 20261ballBelfastNorthern Ireland
- 20 Sep 202620ballsAround Stockport, SeptemberStockport
- 17 Sep 20264ballsWythenshaweManchester
- 15 Sep 20262ballsGlasgowScotland
- 13 Sep 2026Derby day1ballBradford Park (near the Etihad)Manchester
- 12 Sep 202655ballsAround Essex, SeptemberEssex
- 11 Sep 20261ballNear Stockport County's groundEdgeley, Stockport
- 7 Sep 20261ballPudsey Bear statue, MediaCityUKSalford
- Sep 2026With Frank Bruno5ballsHockleyEssex
- Sep 2026With Frank Bruno1ballLeighton Buzzard (parks)Bedfordshire
- Sep 2026With Frank Bruno5ballsSouthchurch ParkSouthend-on-Sea
- 29 Aug 2026Biggest drop100ballsSt Thomas RecHeaton Mersey, Stockport
- Feb 202610ballsPlaying fields near Cheadle HulmeStockport
The drop log
Where the balls have landed
Every drop goes in the log and on the map, and we keep a tally of balls by area.
208 Greater Manchester
120 Essex
1 Dublin
1 Belfast
2 Glasgow
1 Bedfordshire
- Balls counted
- 333
- Drops logged
- 27
- Biggest single drop
- 100
- Areas reached
- 14
Balls counted is our tally by area, as of 13 October 2026, and the drops in the log add up to it. Some dates and counts are approximate where we only had an area total.
In the press
Latest news
- 5 October 2026
Found Football: Buy and Donate
ChildrensFootball.com supports Found Football on its own shop page. You can donate a football, buy a football, or buy one and gift one.
Photo: Sean Hansford / MEN
- 26 September 2026
The former Deliveroo boss now on a one-man crusade to get kids off their phones
Ritchie Beckett, a former Deliveroo sales leader, explains how a long-held idea, filling a football pitch with free footballs, became Found Football. He has now made it his full-time job, registered it as a not-for-profit and lined up ChildrensFootball.com as ball supplier and sponsors for funding. He wants to take it nationwide ahead of Euro 2028.
Photo: Sean Hansford / Manchester Evening News
- 18 September 2026
Ritchie on BBC Essex and BBC Radio Manchester
Announcing the project on air. [Programme names and links to come]
At BBC MediaCityUK, Salford
Who’s behind it
The team
Founder and directorRitchie Beckett
Born and brought up in Stockport. Does the drops with his two sons.
SupporterFrank Bruno MBE
Former WBC heavyweight champion. Delivered balls in Essex and Bedfordshire.
- Ball supplier
Matt Hackett
ChildrensFootball.com. Pictured left, with Ritchie.
SupporterDanny Pugh
Former Manchester United, Leeds United and Stoke City player.
SupporterAmanda Barr
Former Lioness.
AmbassadorGreg Lane
Volunteers in Wigan.
Our mission
Getting kids more active, one ball at a time
The pitches are already there. The kids are already there. Often the only thing missing is a ball. So we buy them in bulk and leave them in parks and playing fields for children to find and keep.
“We’re trying to get kids active, and get them off their screens.”
Get involved
Support us
