Oceania football champions Auckland City FC have joined forces with the Butterfly Trust to support education and health development projects in Vanuatu.

The Butterfly Trust is run by husband and wife team of David and Lynn Colbert with the aim to help communities in developing countries around the world.

"Football is extremely popular throughout Vanuatu and the people go to great lengths to kick a ball on surfaces riddled with crab holes," David Colbert told www.aucklandcityfc.com," so aligning ourselves with the champions of Oceania Auckland City FC makes perfect sense.

"Some of the projects the Butterfly Trust is working on include raising money for school fees, building a library, putting in lights in classrooms, vocational training in building and electrical work, and organising doctors to provide training to local nurses.Using Saturday's ASB Premiership Super City derby with Waitakere United as the backdrop, Auckland City and the Butterfly Trust raised $1000.00 NZD from match day activities for use in projects in rural Vanuatu.

The Super City raffle raised $920.00 from ticket sales and Auckland City topped that up to make the contribution an even $1000.00," said Auckland City spokesman Gordon Glen Watson, "The Auckland City club is cognisant of the challenges faced by Oceania's developing nations in infrastructure and education and we see this unique link with the Butterfly Trust as a natural step toward giving something back to our Oceania community," he said.

Auckland City have also committed to donating playing kits, training gear and equipment to the Butterfly Trust for distribution in Vanuatu as part of the build-up to the club's OFC Champions League match with Amicale next month.

David Colbert said Butterfly Trust's relationship with Auckland City would draw attention to some of the challenges faced by people in the outer islands of Vanuatu.

"Funds raised from donations are put towards various projects but football is an ideal vehicle to spread the message of healthy living and it gives people in Vanuatu an opportunity for experiences they may not otherwise enjoy.

"Auckland City has visited Vanuatu on a regular basis since the inception of the O-League in 2007 facing Tafea, Port Vila Sharks and Amicale on numerous occasions.

"I think everyone in football is aware of the impact that a Vanuatu football player like Seule Soromon has had on the ASB Premiership and ASB Chatham Cup and Auckland City would love to see the young people achieve their dreams whatever they may be as he has," Colbert said.For further information on the Butterfly Trust contact David Colbert or Auckland City