Mata Donates Toys To Local Children

Juan Mata paid a surprise visit to Button Lane Primary School in Wythenshawe earlier this week to deliver toys that he had personally donated to the Manchester United Foundation.

The Spaniard provided 500 toys that will be distributed to 49 schools across Greater Manchester, and after taking part in a ‘Move with Manchester United’ PE lesson, a programme that is designed to increase children’s physical literacy, Mata explained the motives behind his incredible act of generosity.

“I have a good friend who owns a toy brand and we thought it’d be nice to work together for the kids here in Manchester and my hometown of Oviedo, to give these gifts to school children, but also for kids who are in hospital and who may not have had gifts from their parents this Christmas,” he told MUTV.

“It was a very nice experience for me to come to see the kids. They seemed really happy with the gifts and I want to try and do this as much as I can, not only me but the other players as it can be easy for us to do something like this.”

The school’s deputy head teacher Tracey Palmer was delighted by the visit and thanked Mata. “In assembly I explained someone famous was coming into school and the children had been intrigued all day,” she said. “The fact that Juan has given up his own time to come along is wonderful. He’s a great inspiration."