“I just want to say a massive thank you to you and also to Harry [Darling]. Kwame really enjoyed participating in the tournament and also playing against Harry. You’ve put a big smile on Kwame’s face and have been the highlight of his lockdown.”
This is just one of the pieces of positive feedback from a parent that Cambridge United Community Trust have received through this period, after Cambridge United centre-back Harry Darling played FIFA against one of the young people the Trust works with weekly. Helped out by numerous players across the period, the Trust has continued to engage young people across Cambridge in the last three months through their Premier League Kicks Programme.
Graham Daniels, Chair of the Community Trust interviews Tom Knowles, Harry Darling, Leon Davies & Sam Squire (the Trust’s PL Kicks Officer) in a fascinating podcast here about the ways they’ve been able to give back to the community over this period. Whether it’s delivering hot lunches and educational activity packs to families in need, ringing seniors who may be at risk of loneliness or engaging with some of Kicks’ participants: all three have generously offered their time to help. As Knowles mentions in the podcast: “We’re all local lads who have grown up watching United. To be able to represent and play for them is massive, but to be in the position where we can be influential off the pitch as well as on, it is amazing.”
Premier League Kicks provides free turn-up and play football and multi-Sport sessions for boys and girls aged 8-18 in central Cambridge. Due to Covid-19, all sessions were postponed for safety reasons, however Cambridge United Community Trust have proactively adapted Kicks to an online format. Much of this has come through the programme’s Instagram Page
The Instagram page provides regular updates, competition giveaways, and most importantly, keeps participants physically and mentally engaged with the positive content being posted.
Get your children involved in the various:
- Football and Physical Challenges
- FIFA 20 e-Tournaments, where winners receive prizes
- Mental Health and Online Gaming/Media Guidance and Advice
- Opportunities to Catch-Up and Game Online with the PL Kicks Officer and other Kicks participants
- Opportunities to represent Cambridge United Community Trust PL Kicks in FIFA fixtures against other Clubs
- Coming soon: ‘Kicks in the Kitchen’ which will provide Kicks participants with quick, easy and simple recipes that they can do with their families to learn how to cook during lockdown.
For more information about the CUCT PL Kicks programme click here or email sam.squire@cambridge-united.co.uk
Want to help the Community Trust with the delivery of sessions after Covid-19? There’s a job opportunity listed here.