The Premier League is celebrating 15 years of its flagship community programme. Premier League Kicks has supported hundreds of thousands of young people to achieve their potential and improve their wellbeing through free weekly football sessions and educational workshops.
Premier League Kicks began in the 2006/07 season in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, with the aim of involving and supporting young people in regular, positive, and fun activity, whilst helping to create stronger, safer, more inclusive communities.
Since it began, more than 440,000 young people have participated in Premier League Kicks football and multi-sport sessions held at community venues across England and Wales. The programme started with four pilot clubs and is now run across 936 venues by 90 Premier League, English Football League and National League sides – all funded by the Premier League.
Locally in Crawley, our Premier League Kicks aims to support young people with positive, structured activities which aim to help them lead a healthier, more active lifestyle through a variety of activities and venues.
All of our Kicks sessions are for those aged 8 – 18, and is FREE to attend any of our sessions around Crawley. These sessions include our Maidenbower Kicks session from 4:30pm to 6pm every Monday, our partnered Kicks sessions with CCYS in Dormans & Bewbush Youth Centres, Premier League Girls Fridays 6pm to 7pm & Premier League Kicks Broadfield, Fridays from 7pm to 8:30pm.
Darren Ford, Head of Foundation & Community Development said this about the Foundations Premier League Kicks programme, “Our Premier League Kicks programme enables young people to access supported and safe environments. It allows our participants to not only take part in physical activity sessions, it provides opportunities for them to develop their social and personal skills, including volunteering, workshops and social action. Premier League Kicks provides a perfect platform for young people to develop themselves and contribute towards safer communities.”
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles, has shared his support for the scheme and features alongside Kicks participants and coaches in a video celebrating 15 years of the programme’s impact.
Rio Ferdinand said: “For 15 years Premier League Kicks has been using the universal language of football to bring communities together and inspire a new generation of young people, providing positive role models who can give them belief and can help to steer them on the right path in life.
“Legend is a word you hear a lot in football, but legends aren’t just created in stadiums. The coaches, mentors, volunteers and participants who have fulfilled their potential thanks to these weekly sessions all deserve to be called legends.”
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “We are proud of the incredible impact Kicks has had on communities up and down the country over the past 15 years. As we mark the anniversary, this is an opportunity to celebrate the local legends who have helped make Premier League Kicks what it is.
“The success of the programme would not have been possible without the hard work and passion of club staff, coaches and volunteers working alongside young people at Kicks sessions, week in, week out.”
For more information visit - https://www.ctcommunityfoundation.com/
