Richard Luscombe Ten local young people got the chance to lead out their heroes at the Theatre of Greens this month thanks to the work of national charity – Free Kicks Foundation.
The Trust teamed up with the charity, whose aim is to provide football-related activities for ill, bereaved and disadvantaged children, to give ten youngsters from our summer Fit and Fed sessions a day to remember. The lucky competition winners were treated to a full matchday mascot experience including a new Argyle kit and goodies, a stadium tour, meet-and-greet with players, and tickets for the game. Five attended the fixture against Peterborough United in the Carabao Cup, and five the Sky Bet League One fixture against the same opposition.
Fit and Fed is a free holiday programme, in partnership with Plymouth City Council and the Department for Education, that provides sports activities, education, and healthy meals to young people in the city that receive benefit-related free school meals.
Argyle Community Trust Regional Manager Stew Walbridge said: “We are delighted to have teamed up with Free Kicks Foundation to provide this magical opportunity for some of our local young people. It will be a day they will never forget, and it is thanks to the amazing ‘Kicks’ days provided by the Foundation.”
Free Kicks Foundation Founder Steve Thorpe adds: “Our mission is to provide football-themed experiences to disadvantaged children and young adults at clubs all around the country.
“Since the charity launched in 2007, we have made it possible for over 1,000 amazing young people to attend matches and meet their favourite teams, the majority of recipients experience the day as a Team Mascot. We call our days out ‘Kicks’ and they are provided free of charge to the families.
“All the Kick recipients and their families that we meet are inspirational. The excitement on their faces when they meet the players or see behind the scenes makes all the hard work worthwhile. Experiencing a Kick can have many benefits on the child including boosting confidence and improving social skills in addition to providing a brief respite from day-to-day difficulties they may face.
“We have teamed up with many organisations and groups to identify the families that we can provide these opportunities for including Down Syndrome, young carer and mental health support groups, children’s hospices and disability football teams as well as Sue Ryder Bereavement Support, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Mencap. We also enjoy working with the Community Trusts attached to football clubs; through their valuable work in their local areas, they can identify children who will benefit from one of our Kicks.
“Every penny we spend on Kicks is raised by ourselves and an amazing team of Trustees and supporters. We have several annual events including cycle rides, quizzes, cricket and football matches, golf days as well as other one-off events and fundraisers organised by individuals and members of the public.”
Find out more about the work of the Free Kicks Foundation here.
Spaces are still available for our Fit and Fed programme this summer at locations across Plymouth. Find out more and book here.
