Lauren Nancekivell On Saturday, 29 November a group of 12 young people supported by the ACTing With Children programme were treated to an exclusive visit to Home Park, for a VIP match-day experience, as part of Argyle’s Sky Bet League One match against Northampton Town.
ACTing With Children aims to support children and young people in Cornwall who have a parent in prison. Argyle Community Trust are dedicated to this programme, providing support and one-to-one and group support to those affected. The Christmas period can be a difficult time for families for a few reasons, especially for those vulnerable. This trip was created to provide an unforgettable match day experience for these young individuals, and an experience that gave them positive, lasting memories.
Wayne Berry, Project Lead for Cornwall, highlighted his excitement for the event: “This is an annual event where we try and offer a fun, action packed day to celebrate the programme and the work we do with them. This is very much the highlight of the year for me and the guys.”
The young people were treated to a full match-day mascot experience, including a visit to the club shop and a stadium tour, followed by an energetic session at Harpers, delivered by Argyle Community Trust staff. This included exciting games and challenges, which proved to be one of the biggest highlights. Individual members of the group expressed their enthusiasm throughout the day.
One participant said: “Thank you for taking me to the game, it was a brilliant day. I especially loved the training part and the seven-a-side game.”
To add to the adventure, the group experienced the Home Park Fanzone before the match, where they played games, listened to music, and soaked up the buzzing atmosphere. To commemorate the day, each young person was gifted their own Argyle shirt, which was appreciated by the group as well as parents:
“They loved going with Wayne and Taylor to Home Park. They loved the gifted shirt and enjoyed the training and game before the match. Thanks for the effort and time invested to make such a memorable day.”
If you would like to know more about how to refer a child or young person to the project you can call 07300 473321 or email ACTingwithchildren@pafc.co.uk.
