North Swindon MP and avid sports fan Justin Tomlinson has praised the recent Annual Review published by the Football League Trust – a charity which uses the power of sport to tackle society’s greater goals.
The Trust outlines its long term ambitions to increase participation in sport, inspire education, raise aspirations, improve health, engage with communities and empower the disadvantaged. The Trust goes beyond football to achieve all of these aims and the review reveals that in the last year significant achievements have been made:
- Equality: A record 6,107 girls took part in the Kinder+ Sport Football League Girls Cup – an increase of over 20% and participation in the kids cup increased by 35%. Latest programmes initiated by the Trust has also introduced over 30,000 new women and girls to football, with a retention rate of over 97%.
- Inclusion: The Trust uses the power of sport to help tackle all forms of disadvantage and to promote equality. With community trusts at the heart of 72 diverse communities, they work to include everybody in society by breaking down barriers and making sport available to everybody.
- Health: The power of sport is being deployed to improve the health of our local communities and reduce any health inequalities that exist. Working across all age groups and sections of the community, but a particular focus is put on reducing obesity by promoting healthy eating and physical activity.
- Education: Working with people young and old, the Trust aims to develop skills for life. With a particular strength in regards to working with disadvantaged young people and supporting them to achieve positive outcomes, the United School and Sports Programme delivers provision to 4,000 participants in 60 schools per week. Last year 40,000 Primary School children got moving and learning about healthy eating thanks to the Kinder+ Sport Move and Learn project.
Nick Perchard, Premier League Head of Community Development, commented “The Premier League Good Causes Strategy is to support clubs in their role as hubs at the heart of their communities focussing on investing in facilities as well as inspiring sports participation and supporting education and skills. The Premier League works closely with the Football League trust to ensure that the power of football can be used to benefit thousands of young people each week. The Premier League is investing more than £20 million over three years to support Football League clubs’ community activity including their delivery of National Premier League programmes such as Premier League Kicks and Premier League for Sports.”
Justin Tomlinson MP said: “Most people know that I am incredibly passionate about sport. Growing up in the Midlands and attending a school with a lot of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, I was able to experience first-hand how sport can break down barriers and give everybody an equal footing in aiming high and achieving their ambitions. For us sport was an opportunity to get together, make friends and experience competitiveness and teamwork – essential skills for later on in life. I am a big supporter of the Football League and the work that it does in the local community. Locally I know that Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust is one of the 72 community trusts affiliated to the Football League and I am very proud to see the continued hard work to deliver sporting and social opportunities to people within our local town.”
