Cambridge Fans United (CFU) will sponsor the Club's Football in the Community programme in an important move to help the fans, the Club and the community.

At the game against Halifax last Saturday, CFU presented a cheque for £2,000 to Stuart Jacobs, the FITC Officer. The money represents the proceeds from CFU's popular Youth Tournament held on Coldhams Common last August.

The cheque presentation (Photo: Ann Miles)

Nearly 1,000 youngsters took part, from under 9s to under 15s, including boys and girls teams.

Fans Director Brian Attmore explained, "The association between CFU and Football in the Community can only benefit everyone locally. Football has so much to offer everyone and a strong football club is one that competes every week on the pitch while also helping the community.

"Cambridge United FITC has an excellent team of people working for it and this donation will mean they can help even more people in future."

Brian added, "If any companies or sponsors would like to help contribute towards any of the community schemes being run at present, please call 01223 566500. Any money raised by FITC goes directly into community and is used to help everyone."

A huge range and depth of activities are carried out by United's Football In The Community scheme. The launch of the Playing for Success study support centre at the Abbey Stadium and the 'Street Football' scheme (see below for more details) have been possible due to the attraction of national funding and local partnerships, which recognise the excellence of our FITC programme and the people within it.

CFU are grateful to everyone who has made this possible, and together FITC and the Trust can go forward with their United aims.

STREET FOOTBALL PROJECT

Cambridge United FITC is extremely proud and excited to announce the news that we have been successful in our funding application with the football foundation and have started the new £230,000 project. A pilot scheme has begun in Cambourne and will run until the end of the school term.

The project will restart in September with four other venues, offering young adults and children the opportunity to play football and possibly represent Cambridge United up and down the Country.

There is considerable evidence that leisure opportunities for young people play an active role in contributing to combat high levels of anti social behaviour, resulting in a healthier youth culture and happier local community.

Cambridge United FITC, in liaison with Cambridgeshire Police, Cambridge City Council, South Cambs Council, the local county F.A, and the Cambridgeshire safety project have identified several key areas as a target area.

The key areas have been highlighted due to high levels of anti-social behaviour, to be of an economical disadvantage, and to offer very few youth activities and facilities that are easily accessible and affordable.

Cambridge United's Community Scheme aims to demonstrate the positive role football can offer in terms of teaching children and teenagers valuable social skills such as team work, respect for the community, healthy living, and providing youngsters with the opportunity to channel their energy and aggression in a safe and friendly environment.

The Street Football project will bring together local working partners, who have been identified through working in the area, who have similar aims and objectives.

Through these partners we have highlighted four key areas across Cambridgeshire that fall into the above categories of high anti-social behaviour and youth development requirements. They will also be on hand to support youngsters in a variety of social development issues including education and employment. Participants may also have personal problems relating to a variety of issues including alcohol, drugs and anti-social behaviour.

The project has highlighted two age groups, 12-14 and 16-18. Through annual ongoing football-related activities, social inclusion initiatives and career-related opportunities; we aim to adopt a 'prevention is better than cure' philosophy.

The scheme and its working partners have highlighted the need to target children prior to the statistical age of anti-social related behaviour. We therefore hope to cure existing problems within the 15-18 year olds and educate children in the 12-14 year old category with positive statistical results to be evident in years 2, 3 and beyond.

The practical side of the project will see youngsters at the first session being segregated into 5-a-side teams and then competing for the next nine weeks in league fixtures at their venue. In the final week, week ten, the top two teams in each venue will play a finals tournament at the Abbey Pool, the final of which will be played during half time of a Cambridge United home fixture.

A representative team of all venues will also be formed to play regional and national teams of football clubs also engaged in the Street Football project. The highest playing level is that of representing England in European and World cup tournaments.

[FITC Information and News]

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