Sat 22 Nov - Posted in Breaking News
Time to read: 2mins
Derby County Men's First Team players Joe Ward and Kayden Jackson visited a Premier League Kicks session at Derby Racecourse Hub, hosted by Derby County Community Trust, this week.
Premier League Kicks, funded by the Premier League through the Premier League Charitable Fund, uses the power of football and sport to inspire young people to reach their potential in some of the most high-need areas in England and Wales.
Derby County Community Trust began its Premier League Kicks delivery in 2014 and, since then, has supported hundreds of young people aged 8-18 through sessions across Derby.
Delivered in the hearts of our communities in local parks and in community centres, it takes activity to the doorsteps of children and young people who might not be able to attend otherwise. Participants are encouraged to not just take part in sessions but also to represent Derby County at the regional and national level and engage with important initiatives.
The weekly Monday Derby Racecourse Hub session saw the players getting involved in one of the most attended Premier League Kicks sessions, with over 50 young people in attendance.
Ward and Jackson got stuck in, getting involved in the games and challenges, including the kick-up challenge and penalties, before heading inside to take on attendees at a game of EA FC 26.
They also signed merchandise, posed for selfies and answered questions from participants, many of whom were big Derby County fans.
Talking about the importance of being out in the community, Jackson said: “Seeing one of us in person can make a big difference to the kids, you don’t know what they are going through, and it’s always nice to be able to put a smile on their faces.”
The session also included a bolt-on offer, supported by the National Lottery’s Million Hours Fund. This funding supports the Community Trust to offer extra hours of activity to young people, giving them more places to go and positive things to do. This part of the session included card games, bracelet making and PlayStation games.
Derby County Community Trust’s Premier League Kicks Coordinator, Hanif Alassani, said: “It’s amazing [to have the players at the session], a lot of the kids look up to players like that, and it gives them motivation to go forward and keep playing football.”
