People sometimes question why they should join the Supporters’ Trust here at Lincoln City and hopefully, the following progress report will help to show why!
As well as the activities and events described below, thousands of pounds in increased revenue for the club have also been raised through greater use being made of the Club’s facilities and room bookings.
“Since the Supporters Trust Community Development project commenced in September 2010, Gemma Mc Faul the LCDP Community Development Worker (CDW) for the project, has been working with the community and a wide range of partner organisations and funders to deliver a number of new and exciting community initiatives at Sincil Bank Stadium.
In December 2010 the CDW secured a small pot of funding from the Police Migration Impact Fund, to host a Multi Cultural Themed Community event which took place in the Trust Suite. Residents from the Sincil Bank and surrounding community came together to enjoy an informative and fun filled afternoon with something for everyone.
Various organisations and agencies came along to raise an awareness of the range of support services available to local people, in dealing with everyday issues that affect their lives, providing advice and information around accessing training, education and employment, leading healthier lifestyles and family health, reducing energy bills, and community safety. Residents of all ages enjoyed multi cultural food tasting, African Drumming, stress busting massages and nail treatments, Henna Hand painting, health and body MOT’s and fitness taster sessions, and a visit from Mr and Mrs Claus and fun craft activities kept the little ones happy.
The event marked the launch of several community projects aimed at meeting the needs of the whole community:
From January to May 2011, with the support of funding secured from City of Lincoln Council’s Park Ward Budget and the Church in Society Fund, a range of Children’s Activities took place at the club’s 3G Astro Pitch and Trust Suite. These were delivered in partnership with Energise and the Positive Futures Team from Lincolnshire County Council. Around 60 local children between the ages of 6 to 16 years old enjoyed free football fun sessions, sports activities and dance and craft evenings.
The Primetime Over 50’s Activity Club was launched in March this year. Thanks to part funding received from the City of Lincoln Council’s Sincil Neighbourhood Team, the CDW supported LCFC Sport and Education Trust to establish the 6 month Pilot project.
The Trust delivers a range of fun fitness activities every Wednesday morning from 10am-12midday in the Stadium’s Red Imp Bar. On average, around 20 people between the ages of 50-92 years old regularly attend, taking part in activities such as New Age Kurling, Table Tennis, Skittles, seated exercise and the occasional game of cards and dominoes!
Young people between the ages of 16 & 25 years old have enjoyed fitness sessions which were run weekly from April to the middle of June this year. Funding from City of Lincoln Council Park Ward Budget enabled free gym sessions to be delivered by a trained fitness instructor from Sincil School who manage the gym facility at the Stadium.
Birchwood Access Training Centre (BATC), British Red Cross in partnership with Lincolnshire Council for Voluntary Youth Services (LCVYS), and Pelican Trust, have all provided free education and training courses for local residents and partner organisations. 9 participants successfully completed a First Aid Appointed Persons Course delivered in the clubs’ Trust Suite by British Red Cross, and 10 residents have registered to complete a 5 week Sign Language Course starting at the end of June and being delivered by BATC.
Pelican Trust is also offering a range of short courses for local residents over the coming months.
6 Weekly Business Support Workshops have been delivered by Business Links between April and June in the clubs’ Trust Suite. The workshops have provided valuable support to several local residents contemplating setting up their own small businesses.
The CDW is currently working with a range of partner organisations to deliver several new projects at the club:
An On Line Learning Centre is being established in the Football in the Community building at the Stadium. The CDW is supporting LCFC Sport and Education Trust to set up the centre which will offer weekly drop in sessions to local residents who will have the opportunity to register and complete short courses including, Basic Computer Skills and Using the Internet. The courses aim to encourage and support local people to gain new skills that will help them to make better use of computers and the internet.
A new 21 week Educational Based Youth Programme is set to begin at the clubs’
On Target Centre in July. Funding secured from the Big Lottery, Awards for All pot has enabled the Community Development worker to work in partnership with LCFC On Target to deliver the project to local young people between the age of 10-16 years old. The programme will include life skills and educational based activities such as movie making, plant growing, and healthy food cooking classes.
The CDW is also working in partnership with a youth organisation called ‘Off the Bench’ to establish a Youth Drop In Club at the Stadium. The team of youth workers will complete a 12 week outreach engagement programme as a means of engaging with young people aged 11 years and up from the Sincil and surrounding community, about establishing a permanent youth club at Sincil Bank. The LCFC Supporters Trust have kindly contributed a small pot of funding, some of which will be used to develop the idea and fund use of club facilities to run the 12 week project.
And last but not least, the CDW is organising a Health Promotion Event in partnership with City of Lincoln Council’s Health Co-ordinator. The event will take place at the Trust Suite on Monday 1st August from 11am and aims to raise an awareness of the range of health related support and information services available to local residents. There will be free body MOT’s and Health Checks, healthy food tasting, fun fitness taster sessions and more!
As a follow on from this event, the CDW will work with a range of health related organisations to host regular Health Promotion Coffee Mornings at the club, to enable local residents to gain information and support around the many health related issues that affect them. “
Remember, none of this would have happened without the Supporters’ Trust!
If you would like further information about any of the above projects, or are a member of the local community who has an interest in volunteering or running a local project of your own, please do not hesitate to contact Gemma either by email gemma.mcfaul@lcdp.org.uk or telephone 07876624934.
