The frustration of Rams fans was demonstrated to millions during the televised home defeat by QPR when dozens  threw their free commemorative tee shirts onto the pitch - but we want to restore the good name of Derby supporters by sending those unwanted Rams-QPR tee shirts to people in real need.

Why just consign that T-shirt to the bottom drawer or the cat's basket? You might never want to wear it, but we are now collecting them to bring a positive benefit to others, so please donate your Rams-QPR tee shirt to the special Derby 3D “Don’t Ditch It - Donate It!” Appeal. 

After all, it's only football -  you can give that tee shirt to a good cause, to help forget your frustration.

We’ve linked up with community and charity workers who will take your clean, unwanted Rams-QPR shirts directly to displaced families and orphans in Ethiopia. Please don’t ignore this appeal - we all care passionately about the Rams but we also need to care about those elsewhere who are suffering severe deprivation.

St Matthews Children’s Fund Ethiopia (SMCF) has been working for 12 years to bring resources and development to help communities that have been suffering since the famines of the 1980s.

The charity operates nationwide with Derbyshire citizens undertaking work in the field in Ethiopia; other Derbyshire charity workers also undertake work with orphanages in Tanzania. These charities exist to bring support and sustainable development to the poorest urban communities of those regions of Africa.

Your unwanted Rams-QPR tee shirt is a basic essential that can be sent to them - please donate it to the D3D Appeal and we will take it to SMCF. Please make sure your tee shirt is clean and usable! We have also asked Derby County FC to support D3D with any unused free tee shirts they  collected after the game.

How can you help? We need your tee shirts by next Saturday, 7th November, so RamsTrust will be manning a special D3D Appeal Collection Point in the foyer of the DW (formerly JJB) Soccerdome opposite Pride Park Stadium from 6.00 to 7.15 pm on Friday, 6th November, before Derby County’s home game with Coventry City.

All you have to do is bring us your unwanted Rams-QPR tee shirt with you to the game and drop it in to us - we will pass it to SMCF. We're currently also exploring other ways of collecting the shirts so watch this space. We'd also be happy to hear from you via our usual contact form if you'd like to help in any way.

You can read more about SMCF on their website: http://www.smcfethiopia.org/

Please donate your Rams-QPR tee shirt NOW! Many thanks for your support.