Archive for year: 2019

Brentford’s stunning victory over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday was helped by a very special person. Eira Griffiths,12, added a magic touch to the coaching team as she took on the role of ‘Young Head Coach’ for Brentford’s first ever Community Takeover Day. And she clearly made an impact as The Bees came back from 2-0 down to win 5-2.

From the press box to the football pitch, ten children – from eight of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust’s community projects – went behind scenes and joined matchday staff to learn the ropes.

Highlights included:

• The mini referee, Dajahn Lang, had the important task of pressing the buzzer and calling the teams before the match begun.
• Charlie Wilkins swapped the classroom for the dressing room as he helped prepare the players’ kit with the Club’s Kit Man Bob Oteng.
• Leah Hunt, 12, who was transformed into a journalist as she wrote her match report in the press box and took over Brentford FC’s Twitter account, which included announcing Ollie Watkins’ goal that brought the score back to 2-2.
• Mia Lloyd helped capture the elation of the Brentford players’ goals as she took on the role of Club Photographer.
• Isis Cuttings proved a worthy pundit as she described the drama of the match as a matchday commentator on Griffin Park’s gantry.

And Eira Griffiths, who has been part of the Trust’s girls’ football programme for nearly five years, played an instrumental role in sealing the victory. Fans rose to their feet as she joined Thomas Frank in celebrating the win on the pitch for the post-match celebrations before heading in to the dressing room where she was presented with a shirt by Neal Maupay, who scored Brentford’s fourth goal.

Talking about the experience, she said:

“My favourite part of the day was going into the changing room and seeing what the players get up to before and after the game.”

All the children involved benefit from the Trust’s community projects, which includes supporting young carers, children with autism and young people in the local area.

Donald Kerr, Vice Chairman of Brentford FC and Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, said:

“The Community Takeover epitomises everything Brentford FC is trying to achieve – embedding the local community within the heart of our football club. As we prepare to move to our new stadium, we are committed to taking the community with us on this exciting new journey – ensuring that everyone can be part of Brentford FC.

“The event on Saturday not only proved the Club’s commitment to the community, but it also showcased the impact the Community Sports Trust has on young people across west London.”

The match was part of Brentford FC’s ongoing commitment to community initiatives. For every ticket bought at the game, £1 was donated to Brentford FC Community Sports Trust.

Ahead of World Cancer Day, Tranmere Rovers in the Community spoke to regular walking football attendee Mike McGovern about how attending walking football sessions helps him remain embedded in the sport and community he loves.

Mike was diagnosed with cancer of the kidney in 1994, which was later removed after successful surgery.

However, 14 years later, a further tumor developed on the inside of his mouth which resulted in Mike having to undergo facial reconstruction surgery to remove it.

Eight years post-treatment and Mike now attends our walking football sessions twice a week. He has described the ability to partake in the group activities run by Tranmere Rovers in the Community as being ‘absolutely phenomenal’ for his health and wellbeing.

Speaking about his diagnosis, he said:

“My first diagnosis was in 1994, I had a tumor in my kidney the size of a grapefruit. They removed my kidney and the cancer was encased inside of the kidney, so it hadn’t spread. Surgery was all the treatment I needed in 1994.

Then in 2008, I developed a tumor on the inside of my mouth. It was a different cancer to the one I had in my kidney so they had to take a harsher approach. They made an incision in my face, lifted a part of it off and removed the tumor. After that they were able to rebuild the inside of my mouth using skin grafts.

Unfortunately, no one knows why, I had a reoccurrence in my right jaw some time later. This is very unusual as only 5% of people have a reoccurrence but I did.

They removed my jawbone complete with its teeth, took my fibular bone out of my leg and rebuilt the front of my jaw with a titanium plate. Aintree University Hospital is a world-leader in maxillofacial reconstruction and the work they do there is unbelievable.”

Four years after his treatment, Mike retired from work and has since been attending the Recreation Centre for walking football sessions:

“I am now eight years post treatment, I retired in 2014 from the rail industry and then within three or four months I was here. I’ve spent the last four years, twice a week, thoroughly enjoying myself.

I can’t tell you how much I look forward to coming to play football here at Tranmere Rovers. It’s wonderful, absolutely wonderful.

When you retire you don’t miss the work, you miss the people and the banter and I get that in spades in here. They are all men, similar age to me. We laugh and we joke and it’s absolutely phenomenal.

I really recommend it to anyone who wants to do a bit of sport but also wants the social aspect of it, the laughter and the banter, it’s absolutely fantastic.”

Tranmere Rovers in the Community hold walking football sessions for both women and men throughout the week in the Recreation Centre:

Monday: Men’s Over 50s – 2-3pm
Tuesday: Women’s Over 40s – 11-12pm
Wednesday: Men’s Over 50s – 11-12pm
Friday: Men’s Over 60s – 11-12pm

For more information about TRIC please get in touch by email: [email protected] or call: 0151 608 2354.

EFL and Premier League Clubs will unite to show their support and celebrate the positive impact of 15-17 year olds that have taken part in NCS (National Citizen Service) through #NCSMatchDay.

#NCSMatchDay  is a national campaign ran by EFL Trust and this year will enter it’s fourth year.

The campaign is proving to be a huge success, reaching millions of people every year. Over 300 footballers such as Burnley FC’s Sam Vokes and Middlesbrough’s Stewart Downing have helped celebrate NCS and honor the young people who have given back to their local community.

Over the next few weekends, Clubs such as Leeds United, Burnley FC and Stoke City will showcase NCS takeover matches, which will involve first team players warming up in NCS branded t-shirts and meeting NCS graduates.

Each EFL Club has a dedicated NCS Ambassador from their first team who champions NCS programmes in their local community. This includes Middlesbrough FC defender George Friend who was voted PFA Player in the Community  in 2016, highlighting his significant work around the Teeside community and his support for NCS.

Talking about the NCS Programme, George said:

“I’ve been a supporter of MFC Foundation’s NCS project for a number of years now, and I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact it has had on the teenagers involved.

“I think NCS is brilliant. It gives young people the chance to experience a variety of activities and challenges whilst building new friendships and benefiting the local community.”

Dominik Stingas Paczko, Community Operations manager at EFL Trust said:

“NCS Match Day is a now key date in the football calendar.

“It’s a great opportunity to engage with different audiences and use the power of football to raise the awareness of NCS in local communities. The support we get from EFL and Premier League Clubs as well as the professional footballers is amazing.”

EFL Trust work with over 50 EFL and Premier League Clubs that deliver NCS and have already given the life changing opportunity to over 50,000 teenagers.

NCS is a flagship government initiative that provides young people aged 16-17 the chance to take on new challenges, experience exciting activities, make long-lasting friendships and develop vital skills that will support them later in life. Supporting young people’s transition to adulthood, the programme develops their strength of character, giving a sense of purpose, optimism and belonging.

To find out more about NCS, visit: https://www.efltrust.com/ncs/

Brentford’s Sky Bet Championship fixture against Blackburn Rovers has been dedicated to the local community and young people will play a special role. The Club’s first ever Community Takeover Match will take place next Saturday, 2 February, and children from Brentford FC Community Sports Trust’s community projects will have the exciting opportunity to take part in important matchday roles next week. From the press box to the football pitch, ten children – from across eight of the Trust’s community projects – will go behind the scenes and join a number of matchday staff to learn the ropes. 

Children with disabilities, a young carer, and a budding female footballer are just some of the participants who will take on the roles – including shadowing Head Coach Thomas Frank. And the takeover won’t just focus on Thomas Frank’s pre-match tactics, children will also join staff in the ticket office, Club Shop and shadowing Brentford’s legendary matchday announcer Peter Gilham.

Mia, 13, benefits from the Trust’s Young Carers project, which provides much-needed respite to young people across the boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow. She will have the chance to work at the match and will be shadowing the Club’s matchday photography team, pitchside taking pictures that will appear on brentfordfc.com.

Speaking about the match, she said: “I really enjoy photography – it has allowed me to express myself and I’m honoured to be able to photograph a team that I have supported since I was little. It was only through the Trust’s Young Carers Project I have been able to develop my passion for photography: the project has helped build my confidence and helped me share experiences with other young carers in the same situation as me.” 

The match is part of Brentford FC’s ongoing commitment to community initiatives. For every ticket bought at the game, £1 will be donated to Brentford FC Community Sports Trust – helping people like Mia.

Cliff Crown, Brentford FC Chairman, said: “This is a fantastic idea and I am delighted we have been able to work with the Trust to create such a memorable event. It will be a great sight to see young people that engage with Brentford FC via our Trust heavily involved on matchday and getting a view behind the scenes. I am sure our fans will give them all the support they need on the day as well.

“The involvement with our local community is one of our key values. Events like this, as well as the day-to-day involvement of players and staff, are a great way to showcase the work done by the Trust. It is even better that it can happen on a day when we are donating £1 for all tickets sold to the Trust. I hope it is a day where money and awareness are raised.”

• London’s Deputy Mayor and representatives from Royal Greenwich, Bexley, Peabody Trust and the Metropolitan Police all attended
• Players and officials wore Street Violence Ruins Lives t-shirts to support the campaign

London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Sophie Linden spoke as Charlton Athletic Community Trust re-launched its Street Violence Ruins Lives (SVRL) campaign at Charlton Athletic’s fixture against Accrington Stanley on Saturday 19 January.

Representatives from the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the London Borough of Bexley, Peabody Trust, the Metropolitan Police and Sophie Linden, London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, attended a reception chaired by Sally and Jamie Knox.

SVRL was launched in 2008 following the tragic death of Rob Knox, whose father Colin was also in attendance at Saturday’s event.

Charlton and Accrington Stanley’s entire first-team squads joined the day’s officials in wearing SVRL t-shirts out of the tunnel.

The t-shirts featured the SVRL logo on the front and the London Needs You Alive logo on the back, an initiative from the Mayor of London’s Office which Sophie was interviewed about pitchside.

CACT mentors and Young Greenwich youth workers spoke to fans about the campaign by mobile units outside the West Stand, handing out copies of CACT’s new SVRL strategy and discussing the programmes CACT delivers to reduce street violence.

Young Greenwich partner Champions 4 Change set up a boxing ring in the car park for young people, while fellow partner B Young Stars promoted its youth education programmes.
Young people were able to take advantage of the club’s Kids for a Quid ticket offer to watch Charlton win 1-0.

Sally Knox said:
“Soon after Rob’s death, CACT got in contact with us and said they wanted to do something about the violence that was erupting in 2008. So we got together and started working together. I set up the Rob Knox Foundation, and we’ve worked together now for nearly 11 years.

“With the amount of funding they’ve now got, I’m so excited for the future”.

Cllr Danny Thorpe, the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Leader, was among the reception’s other speakers, and also signed the pledge card, as did the London Borough of Bexley’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Philip Read.

Jason Morgan MBE and Roger Godsiff MP, Chair of Trustees, signed the pledge card on behalf of CACT.

Charlie Macdonald, CACT’s Director of Youth & Inclusion, said:
“The programmes that we run already reach out to young people every day, every week.

“We’ve decided that we must make every opportunity count when we’re interacting… We want to spread this message and make sure that people understand the options that are available to them.”

Charlton midfielder Joe Aribo and Club Secretary Chris Parkes signed the pledge card. Other Charlton players have also got behind the campaign, with midfielder Mark Marshall leading a seminar for young people and sharing his views about the importance of positive role models.

U23s player Junior Quitirna reflected on his own experiences of street violence.

He said:

“It was important to me to be involved in this campaign. I related to some of the boys I was speaking to at the seminar and I can see some of me in them. We fought the same war, trying to get away from the street violence.”

Cllr Danny Thorpe, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said:

“The council is deeply concerned about knife crime. The campaign is one of the many partnerships we are supporting to tackle the spread of violence.

“The Royal Borough of Greenwich, Peabody and CACT have secured £150,000 funding over three years from the Mayor of London’s Young Londoners Fund.

“We are also each contributing £30,000 to mentor young people in Woolwich Common and Thamesmead Moorings who are at risk of exclusion from school or involvement in criminal activity.”