The jerseys, including hundreds left by admirers of the former Manchester United star outside his father's Belfast home, have been donated by the George Best Foundation to church groups, which will distribute them to children living in poor communities in developing countries.

According to Barbara and Norman McNarry, the footballer's sister and brother-in-law, the jerseys will be given to children in some of Africa's poorest communities. The jerseys were left by supporters in tribute to the legendary Irishman at shrines outside Old Trafford, Stormont Castle and Belfast City Hall, as well as outside Dickie Best's east Belfast home.

Although many Manchester United jerseys were left by supporters, jerseys of many teams, including Ireland, were left in shrines by admirers of one of the game's greatest ever players. Best died last November of multiple organ failure having undergone a lengthy and public battle against alcoholism.

According to Norman McNarry, the jerseys were collected at various sites and shipped to Belfast, where a team of volunteers washed each one.

They have since been donated to various church organisations, which have already begun the process of shipping them to communities in Sierra Leone, Malawi and South Africa.

The George Best Foundation was established following Best's death and, according to McNarry, "has grown beyond our wildest dreams" over the last number of months. Longterm aims of the foundation include the establishment of a George Best School of Excellence for promising young footballers, together with raising half a million pounds for further research into alcohol abuse.

The foundation is hosting a blacktie fundraiser ball in Belfast on 22 May, George Best's birthday, which will include guests such as Alex Ferguson. There are also plans for a concert to be held in the Odyssey arena in November.

"The foundation is growing all the time, " says Norman McNarry.

"George touched so many people's lives and that is evident by the response we are getting. For me, one of the most important developments was the announcement by a community in Portadown that they are taking down a mural of Billy Wright and putting up one of George instead.

I think that shows the power George still has for acting as a healer in Northern Ireland."