Young People in Wolverhampton to enjoy Football sessions thanks to BBC Children in Need

Centre Spot CIC is delighted to be awarded a grant of £45,423 from the BBC Children in Need for its Shoot 4 Boots Soccer Saturday project in Wolverhampton. The project will run over 3 years and help make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the area.

This grant has been made possible thanks to the generosity of the public during which saw £26.7 million raised on appeal night 2012.
Centre Sport CIC is a creative social enterprise that uses Sports and Physical Activity to engage and build capacities of people, particularly young people. Centre Spot seeks to encourage the uptake of physical activity and improve the physical wellbeing of communities.

Centre Spot delivers exciting and engaging projects locally and their success has gained national and international recognition both from Sport Development partners and professional athletes.

Shoot 4 Boots Soccer Saturday will use sport to engage disadvantaged children aged 6-18 years old from the Wolverhampton area in positive, healthy activities with the aim of:

  • Engaging disadvantaged children and young people in sport
    • Providing an informal environment allowing disadvantaged young people to develop their personal and sporting skills
    • Increase opportunities for children and young people who have no aspirations for their future & encourage them to take part in activities that have a positive influence on their lives.

Thanks to the support of BBC Children in Need, Shoot 4 Boot Soccer Saturday will run for 38 weeks each year, for three years in line with the Football League season and deliver informal training and competitions for participants aged 6 – 15 years including informal mentoring and signposting to other services.

The project will also deliver volunteering, training and mentoring for 16 – 18-year-olds, with the opportunity to gain entry level coaching certification.
Participants will also have access to free reconditioned football boots through the scheme.

Shoot 4 Boots Soccer Saturday taster sessions will start early in the New Year, dates and times can be found at www.centrespot.org from the January 2014.

Manny Abbeyquaye, Centre Spot Director said, “The investment from BBC Children in Need will ensure that children from one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in Wolverhampton get the opportunity to receive regular high quality coaching, and play football in a safe and fun environment, by training local young volunteers, it is hoped that the project will be sustainable and leave a lasting legacy”

BBC Children in Need funding relies on the energy and commitment of thousands of fundraisers and supporters across the UK, who donate their time and money to support the Appeal. Whether it’s cake sales, dance offs or treasure hunts, every penny of the money raised goes towards supporting projects across the UK.

David Ramsden, Chief Executive of BBC Children in Need, said; ‘We are delighted to be supporting Shoot 4 Boots Soccer which is only possible due to the incredible generosity of our fundraisers across the UK. You really do help us to make a difference to young lives – thank you!”