Burton Albion Community Trust

A CHEQUE donation has been made to Burton Albion Community Trust (BACT) following the ‘Miles Relay Ride’ from Lands’ End to John O’Groats.

Burton Albion Manager Nigel Clough, first team players Kieran O’Hara, Richard Nartey Jack Livesey and Jake Buxton, as well as Academy youngsters Owen Hickson and Nathan Smith, were on-hand to receive the cheque on behalf of BACT at the Pirelli Stadium. They greeted riders from the Shine Your Light, alongside their mascot ‘Miles’ on their arrival at the Pirelli Stadium.

£550 was donated to BACT, with other monies being split between Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire Blood Bikes service, as well as a donation going towards heling to fund the building of a sensory garden at Fountains High School.

Gary West, from the Shine Your Light, said: “Myself, Rod Lakin and Lee Kirk got together and planned the routes from Lands’ End to John O’Groats. We set the routes using no motorways, which allowed 125cc bikers to get involved. The ride took 3 days, passing through towns and beautiful countryside.

“We rode for 13 hours on day one, 12 hours on day two and 14 hours on day three, along with our mascot Miles. He’s our Blue teddy and will be used on more exciting challenges next year.

“We were joined on route by other bikers, in which each rider paid £10 to join and raised sponsors for the event.

“We know the work that BACT do and thought we’d like to make them one of the three charities that we’d donate to.

“We’ve also set up a Facebook page to help raise awareness of individuals with communication difficulties.”

Matt Hancock, Head of Community, said: “We’re really grateful and delighted to have been one of the chosen charities for the bike ride.

“It’s a fantastic sum of money and will go a long way in helping the work that we do.”

To visit Shine Your Lights Facebook page, please click here.

(Pictured – L to R: Nathan Smith, Richard Nartey, Alan Allmond, Kieran O’Hara, Jake Buxton, Nigel Cloguh, Gary West, Jack Livesey and Owen Hickson, donating their cheques at the Pirelli Stadium)

BURTON Albion Community Trust (BACT) have launched two new sessions in partnership with the Building Better Opportunities (BBO) Evolve programme, aimed to help engagement with currently unemployed individuals.

The sessions, aimed at people aged 16 plus, is funded by the Big Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund. The aim is to build health and fitness, social skills and self-esteem for individuals in the support of guiding them towards an active lifestyle and eventually into employment or training opportunities.

Both sessions will be taking place at on a Tuesday between 1pm-3pm at the Burton Albion Community Football Centre (BACFC). The first hour is purely designed to assist with creating CV’s, developing basic IT knowledge and support with applications or job searching, in addition to building confidence with interview techniques. The remainder of time is then focused on supporting communication, confidence and health through participation in either Football or a separate Social & Active session.

The Big Lottery Fund is the largest funder of community activity in the UK. It puts people in the lead to improve their lives and communities, often through small local projects.  It is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by National Lottery players for good causes. Every year it invests over £650 million and awards around 12,000 grants across the UK for health, education, environment and charitable purposes 5 Section nine: Publicity (v5.0 – 12 December 2016). Since June 2004 it has awarded over £9 billion to projects that change the lives of millions of people. The project £10.5 million of funding from the European Social Fund as part of the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in England. The Department for Work and Pensions is the Managing Authority for the England European Social Fund programme. Established by the European Union, the European Social Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support skills development, employment and job creation, social inclusion and local community regenerations. For more information, please visit – https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding

Dan Brooks, Employability Coordinator, said: “Both Head for Goal and Evolve U are two sessions that allows individuals the chance to improve personal health and motivation when taking steps towards employment or training opportunities. BACT staff are available to assist with IT and employability related enquires that promotes active job searching before the football and social group activities take place.

“Whilst the employability support is the main focus, participants are given the chance to develop social skills when meeting new people and create new friendships through engagement. Working in partnership with Burton JCP, regular updates with vacancies or available training can be directed to participants and those seeking work.”

Further 1:1 support can be accessed through the BBO programme, where drop in session focused on job searching and improving computer knowledge. These are on available every Monday & Wednesday 1.00-3.00pm at the Burton Albion Community with additional sessions held at Burton Library on a Tuesday & Thursday between 9.15am-12pm.

If you would like to attend the session or require further information about all employability programmes, please contact – 01283 440041 or email –dan.brooks@burtonalbionct.org

FOLLOWING on from the ‘Beer to Burton’ barrel pull from Wolverhampton to Burton-upon-Trent last August, Bretby Rotary Club have kindly donated over £5,400 to Burton Albion Community Trust.

A HOST of renowned celebrities will be heading to the Pirelli Stadium to play in a star-studded charity football match in aid of Burton Albion Community Trust (BACT).

Soap and reality stars, TV favourites and pop artists are among the celebrities who will play for the second time at the home of Burton Albion on Sunday, September 22 2019, kick off 3pm.

The proceeds of the game will go to help support targeted mental health programmes delivered by Burton Albion’s charity arm.

The celebrities that are currently confirmed to take part in the game are:

James Argent (TOWIE); Alex Beattie (Love Island); Jeremy Lynch (F2Freestylers); Sam Gowland (TV Personality); Joshua Ritchie (TV Personality); Dan Osborne (TOWIE); Liam Gatsby (TOWIE); Danny Boy Hatchard (Soap Star); Lee Latchford-Evans; Joe Plant (Emmerdale); Jay Hutton (Tattoo Fixers); Milad (The Singing Dentist); Warren Phillips (Survival of the Fittest) and Gavin Ramjuan (Sky Sports News).

Many more high-profile names will be released in due course, who will be accompanied by a select number of former Burton Albion legends playing in the game.

It promises to be a great afternoon out for all the family, with a chance to see some of your favourite celebrities enjoying themselves whilst also supporting the work of Burton Albion Community Trust.

BACT’s Head of Community Matt Hancock said: “It promises to be another fantastic event following the success of the last celebrity game that we hosted.

“It’s great to have these high-profile names coming to Burton Albion and it will be a big boost to BACT and all the work we do in the community.”

Kevin Cooper, from Sellebrity Soccer, said: “We can’t wait to finally announce all the names that are going to be involved, in what is set to be another exciting Celebrity Football Match at Burton Albion FC.

“You can be sure of lots of goals and fun, and at the same time the most important thing is raising money for Burton Albion Community Trust and the mental health programmes they provide.

“We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, September 22nd.”

Admission prices will be:

Terrace:
£10 adults
£5 concessions

Seating:
£15 adults
£8 concessions

Tickets are now on sale here! Call 01283 565938, visit the club shop during normal opening hours or go to www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk/tickets/  now to purchase your tickets.

Hospitality packages are also available from £45 per person including VAT. You can download your booking form for executive boxes by clicking here or for the Albion Suite by clicking here. Alternatively, contact Kate Griffiths on 01283 565938 or via email at kate.griffiths@burtonalbionfc.co.uk for further enquiries.

WESTERN Power Distribution has agreed to show their support for community projects delivered by Burton Albion Community Trust (BACT) for the following year.

By becoming a BACT Patron, Western Power Distribution has committed to donating a generous £1,000. The monies will go towards developing and supporting mainly the health and inclusion projects that we deliver in the local community.

Matt Hancock, Head of Community, said: “It’s a fantastic donation and we’re really grateful for this.

“We welcome any donations with open arms, because ultimately it helps and allows our staff to deliver to the local people.”

Western Power Distribution is the company responsible for electricity distribution in the Midlands, South West and Wales, serving over 7.9 million customers. Simon Havill, Derby Distribution Manager, said: “We’re delighted to become a patron supporter of BACT for next season.

“As a company that safely delivers reliable electricity to homes and businesses throughout Burton, we recognise our responsibility to play a full and active role in our community, supporting local charities and communities.

“BACT has a proven track record in engaging and educating communities and young people and we are proud to make a contribution towards their continued success.

If you have a power cut, you can contact Western Power Distribution for free by calling 105, tweeting @wpduk or visiting www.westernpower.co.uk. They are available 24/7 to answer calls and restore power as quickly as possible.

A NUMBER of EFL Clubs will come together this week for the official ‘Extra Time Hubs’ launch, designed to engage retired and semi-retired people and combat loneliness and inactivity.

Studies show that 42% of those over the age of 55 are inactive. EFL Trust’s own research revealed many people would like the opportunity to meet peers to feel less isolated, live well and do things they enjoy.

Launched to coincide with Loneliness Awareness Week, the Extra Time Hubs will harness the unique assets of the EFL Club Community Organisations (CCOs) network to bring older people together and provide a range of activities that could benefit their physical and mental health. Activities vary from quizzes to arts and crafts and even bungee jumping!

Funded with the support of Sport England’s Active Ageing fund from the National Lottery, Hubs will initially be created at 12 CCOs across the country, harnessing the power of football in local communities. All 12 Extra Time Hubs will hold launch events at their respective grounds throughout this week.

Director of Operations at EFL Trust, Mike Evans, said: “We have a BIG ambition – an ambition to help older people to create a national movement of Extra Time Hubs that will make a positive difference to how thousands can enjoy their later years. Extra Time Hubs will enable people to decide which activities they want to do and not be prescribed for them.as well as giving people the opportunity to meet like-minded people and feel less isolated.”

Sport England’s Executive Director for Tackling Inactivity, Mike Diaper, comments: “Maintaining an active lifestyle as you grow older delivers massive health and social benefits. However, we know that you are more likely to be less active as an older person.

“Often it can feel like the barriers to getting active grow as we age but there are simple changes people can make to get active or stay active and Sport England invests National Lottery funding into projects like the EFL Trust’s Extra Time Hubs to make that happen.

 “The EFL and those working on the Hubs have taken specific care to understand the needs of the older adults taking part in their local areas to provide a fantastic service and prove that getting older doesn’t have to mean slowing down.”

Loneliness Minister Mims Davies, said: “Loneliness is one of the biggest health challenges our country faces and we know that getting out and making new social connections can really help people feel less isolated. ‘Extra Time Hubs’ is a fantastic project, helping older people stay active and make friends – bringing communities together through sport.”

The 12 Clubs involved in the scheme are: Bolton Wanderers, Burton Albion, Charlton Athletic, Coventry City, Crawley Town, Derby County, Lincoln City, Northampton Town, Plymouth Argyle, Shrewsbury Town, Sunderland and Wigan Athletic

YOUNG Burton Albion fans are once again invited to join our junior supporters club for the 2019-20 season.

Junior Brewers provides our youngest supporters, aged 0-15 years, with the opportunity to meet first team players, have unique behind-the-scenes access and also receive discounts on a range of items within our club shop.

Membership is only £15, which includes a membership card, poster and certificate.

Throughout the season members will receive invitations to exclusive events such as the Junior Brewers Christmas Party and Easter Egg Hunt with Billy and Bettie Brewer. 

Members will also receive Christmas and birthday cards from Burton Albion FC, whilst being able to enter competitions with exciting prizes to be won!

Full details on the 2019-20 Junior Brewers package can be found by clicking here, including a downloadable form which, once completed, can be returned to the club shop. Pre-printed leaflets are also available in the club shop. 

Billy and Bettie Brewer look forward to welcoming our 2019-20 Junior Brewers!

TO DOWNLOAD THE MEMBERSHIP FORM AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

A PARTNERSHIP between Burton Albion and the Makki Masjid Trust was celebrated at the Pirelli Stadium last week following recent months of working closely together.

The evening, which featured a culmination of workshops and activities at the home of the Brewers, was lead by staff from Burton Albion Community Trust and Makki Masjid Trust. The Makki Masjid Trust aims to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of persons from ethnic minorities in Burton on Trent and surrounding areas. In particular by the relief of poverty, promotion of health, provision and advancement of education and the provision of facilities for recreation.

The night saw the first ever official Iftar (break of the fast) that the Pirelli Stadium has hosted, as well as a Ramadan Tournament which over 65 players participated in.

John Widdowson, Community Operations Manager, said: “The meal Saturday had a real community feel about it and was supported by families from Makki Masjid Trust, Crescent Learning Centre, Staffordshire Police, Staffordshire FA and Burton Albion.

“A special thanks must also go to the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and Premier League Charitable Fund whose support has helped us bring communities together through the power of sport.”

For any more information please get in touch with BACT on 01283 246207 or by email bact@burtonalbionct.org 

SIXTEEN volunteers have visited the African country of Ghana, as part of an annual trip to represent the work that Burton Albion Community Trust (BACT) delivers in it’s own local community.

The volunteers visited Woe, a deprived rural area on the Southern coast of Ghana for 11 days. Whilst out there, they would teach local school children, as well as renovating in a rural primary school in partnership with African Adventures.

This is the sixth year that BACT have now travelled to Africa and have continued to grow the relationship with representatives from the countries. 16 suitcases of clothing, shoes, sanitary products, books and toys were all taken to Ghana, as part of providing supplies and strengthening the relationship.

This years volunteers got to see the new library that was built in the previous year by BACT volunteers, as well as the school staff and children who crowded round the group as soon as they departed the mini bus on arrival.

The volunteers were introduced to the school staff before being split into two groups, with one going off to teach in classroom and the other making building blocks. Lee Milligan, Events and Partnerships Officer, who coordinated the trip, said: “Mixing sand and cement in 40 degree heat was a real test for some and very energy sapping. Those that were teaching came up with some really innovative ways of engaging pupils and getting them involved, this was needed as not all children can speak English as a second language.

“After the first four days, the school finished for the Easter weekend and our group had completed over 20 lessons and made 300 building blocks. Considering everyone was out of their usual comfort zone and combining this with the heat, they continued to do their best for the children.

“We visited a few very rural communities with little or no access to clean water which was a real shock to see. The volunteers used this opportunity to distribute a lot of the various donations taken in the suitcases, as these villages are off the beaten track and rarely visited. The look on the villagers faces as we were walking around with our donations bought a tear to the eye and they were so grateful that we had come to see them. Seeing where they get their water from and realising it’s the only source of water for cooking and cleaning, let alone drinking, was a shock to see for all of the group.”

As part of a built-up partnership and commitment to a local womens football team (who are the regional champions), staff participated in an arranged football tournament in which trophies, footballs and playing kit were provided by BACT. The trip then ended with some much needed relaxation time on the beach, before returning back to the UK.

A huge thank you goes to all of the volunteers and sponsors for this years trip. This support is invaluable, not only to the communities we impact In Ghana but also to the work we deliver within Burton and the surrounding areas.

If you would like to take part or would like to find out more information about next years trip to Ghana during Easter 2020, click here  or contact Lee Milligan on lee.milligan@burtonalbionct.org for more details.

The EFL Trust has today launched a new partnership with Network Rail and the British Transport Police (BTP) to help tackle the increasing number of people risking their lives on the railway.

Burton Albion will be part of the project that will help to educate and raise awareness of the dangers of the railway network to young people.

New figures released today reveal over 250 incidents a week have been recorded by people taking risks on the railway – taking short-cuts, capturing photos and even ‘train surfing’ – sometimes with tragic consequences. Young people (under 18s) make up one of the largest categories, responsible for a third of all cases.

All 72 EFL Clubs will be involved in the campaign with activity ranging from social media posts to player messages.  Clubs who are within the trespass incident hot spot will run workshops in their local communities.

Allan Spence, head of passenger & public safety at Network Rail, said: “Children, and adults alike, continue to risk their lives by stepping out onto the track and it has to stop. Every day we see almost 40 incidents and each one could be a potential catastrophe leading to life-changing injuries or even death.”

The ‘You vs. Train’ campaign launched last year by the rail industry and British Transport Police saw incidents involving children reduce by 12%, but this vulnerable group continue to be at high risk. Responding to the continued problem, the industry’s railway trespass group has this year launched a new phase of the You vs. Train campaign, forming partnerships with the EFL Trust & StreetGames to drive the rail safety message directly to this hard-to-reach group.

At the heart of the issue is a lack of understanding and awareness of the risks. Research undertaken amongst teenagers last year found that, while most are aware that the railway is a dangerous place, most of them don’t realise quite how dangerous it is or the specific dangers they face when they step on the track.

Mike Evans, Director of Operations at The EFL Trust, said: “Bringing about positive change in the community is at the very core of The EFL Trust’s values. Football can be an enormous force for good and have a profoundly positive impact on communities – so we are looking forward to helping tackle this issue in those areas where children and young people are particularly vulnerable.”

A new film highlighting the hidden dangers of the railway has been launched across social media alongside new content telling the story of Tom – a young boy who suffered life-changing injuries in 2014 when he was electrocuted by the overhead power cables – and his family, to illustrate the life-changing impact that the accident has had on them.

To watch the new video and find out how to keep young people safe on the railway visit: www.YouVsTrain.co.uk.