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Ashton United helping to inspire next generation of sports journalists
Ashton United are hoping to inspire the next generation of sports journalists with the help of a community grant.
The Robins have been successful with their latest application to the Trident Community Fund, established by Northern Premier League partners Pitching In, which offers grants of up to £5,000 for clubs to establish or expand community projects.
Ashton have linked up with Gareth Walker, a journalist with 20 years’ experience covering sport for national newspapers, through his Literacy Kicks programme and will offer youngsters the opportunity to cover their matches as they expand their skills.
“Gareth goes into schools and helps the kids write articles around the stories he is telling, whether it is Marcus Rashford and his food initiatives or Nicola Adams and her charity work,” said Ashton community director Steve Hobson.
“That programme lasts six weeks and the idea is that after that, the whole class will come to us in the seventh week to do a match report on an Ashton United game.
“We will focus on primary schools, with another funder focusing on secondary schools.
“This project will mean we are bringing more people to us, we are engaging with new junior fans and their parents can come along too.”
Ashton are targeting the start of the next school year to begin their latest project but there are no shortage of community initiatives to keep them busy between now and then.
Among them is the ongoing Skills and Drills sessions, also established with the help of a Trident Community Foundation grant in a previous round of funding.
“Skills and drills is a school holiday session where we engage deliver fun sessions and a packed lunch, all for free, as part of our holiday hunger scheme,” Hobson added.
“We get around 20 or 30 each day, so we’ve probably helped a couple of hundred kids over the years.
“The Trident Community Foundation has been brilliant for us and it’s a catalyst for other things,” Hobson added.
“If you get the project right, it’s the spark which can light up your charity.”
Ladbrokes, with the support of its owner Entain, has launched a multi-million-pound investment programme, Pitching In, designed to support and promote grassroots sports. For more details see: https://entaingroup.com/sustainability/pitching-in/
Ashton have linked up with Gareth Walker, a journalist with 20 years’ experience covering sport for national newspapers, through his Literacy Kicks programme and will offer youngsters the opportunity to cover their matches as they expand their skills.
“Gareth goes into schools and helps the kids write articles around the stories he is telling, whether it is Marcus Rashford and his food initiatives or Nicola Adams and her charity work,” said Ashton community director Steve Hobson.
“That programme lasts six weeks and the idea is that after that, the whole class will come to us in the seventh week to do a match report on an Ashton United game.
“We will focus on primary schools, with another funder focusing on secondary schools.
“This project will mean we are bringing more people to us, we are engaging with new junior fans and their parents can come along too.”
Ashton are targeting the start of the next school year to begin their latest project but there are no shortage of community initiatives to keep them busy between now and then.
Among them is the ongoing Skills and Drills sessions, also established with the help of a Trident Community Foundation grant in a previous round of funding.
“Skills and drills is a school holiday session where we engage deliver fun sessions and a packed lunch, all for free, as part of our holiday hunger scheme,” Hobson added.
“We get around 20 or 30 each day, so we’ve probably helped a couple of hundred kids over the years.
“The Trident Community Foundation has been brilliant for us and it’s a catalyst for other things,” Hobson added.
“If you get the project right, it’s the spark which can light up your charity.”
Ladbrokes, with the support of its owner Entain, has launched a multi-million-pound investment programme, Pitching In, designed to support and promote grassroots sports. For more details see: https://entaingroup.com/sustainability/pitching-in/
