Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Brentford in the Community

Not one but two TREMENDOUS stories were forwarded to me by Brentford FC this week. It is easy for us all to be hyper-critical of the over-paid and under-performing stars or clubs whose only interest seems to be getting another sponsor or a naming rights deal in some far-flung Asian land with a billionaire president. Stories like this make me proud to be a football fan …and a human being.

The full story of how Brentford FC gave a six-year-old ‘the best day of his life’

When Ezri Konsa led Brentford out on to the pitch for their Sky Bet Championship game against Reading on Saturday, he was making a dream come true for the young man next to him. Woody, six, only found out a few hours before kick-off that he would be Brentford’s mascot for the game, which ended in a 2-2 draw, as The Bees looked to restore his faith in the beautiful game after he had been unable to join in with a local club. And it was a day to remember for the young Brentford fan, who has Down’s syndrome.

Brentford had been alerted to the fact that Woody was looking for a way to get involved in his favourite sport, joining in with organised sessions or playing for a team. The Club linked him up with Brentford Penguins – a football programme for those with Down’s syndrome run by former player Allan Cockram, supported by Brentford FC Community Sports Trust as well as DS Active. The Trust can also cater for footballers with disabilities and will be aiming to get him playing soon. But the Club wanted to do more.

Fan Engagement Manger Ryan Murrant made contact with Woody’s mother – Natalie O’Rourke – early on Saturday morning. Woody was available to lead the team out before the game against Reading and, dressed in a full Brentford kit, walked out in front of 10,000+ fans a few hours later. He got the chance to meet the players, walk on the turf and had his picture taken before kick-off.

Natalie, Woody’s Mum, said: “It all happened so quickly. I shared that he had been unable to join in with a local club and on Friday night my comments were being shared. By Saturday morning it had gone so wide that Brentford had seen it and I had a call asking if Woody could come down and be the mascot. Normally there is lots of red tape but Ryan just made it happen.

“Woody can’t talk but he uses Makaton sign language. He was so excited when I told him, he was jumping up and down. From start to finish, the day was amazing. I can’t explain how good everyone was to us. Woody was on cloud nine, it was the best day of his life. Everyone at Brentford just made sure he was included, sadly that doesn’t always happen.

“Football is all he talks about. Brentford is our local team and I made the decision that we would support The Bees. We bought him a shirt and showed him about Brentford on the internet. He knows he is a Brentford fan and can sign it. It’s all he has talked about ever since. For Christmas we will buy him tickets to a match and we will go when he can. It is all he is interested in and I want to get him to Griffin Park as much as I can.”

Best of all, Natalie explained that she had been put in touch with people who could help get Woody on the pitch. She said that he plays and school and at home but wants to play more. 21 & Co, a charity that supports children with Down’s syndrome and their families, has a football club he can join in with and there will be other opportunities for him as offers of help have flooded in.

Mark Devlin, Brentford FC Chief Executive, spoke to BBC Radio London about what the Club had done. He said: “Fans brought it to our attention on social media and within hours we had a phone number and made contact with the family. A lot of credit goes to the fans that told us about it and then Ryan and those who helped in the Community Sports Trust who made it happen. Our fans know our DNA and that we will do something like this, it is what makes us a bit different from other clubs. Most clubs have good hearts and clubs do lots of good things and this sort of thing is at the heart of our philosophy.

“It is important to us to put a smile on the face of young people and their families. Woody brings a smile to your face and there is an open invitation for him to come here as often as possible. Football is a game for everyone and you can’t fail to be moved by the joy that was brought to Woody and his family.” You can hear the full interview here.

Amy Crook, Brentford FC CST Matchday Co-Ordinator, looks after our mascots at Griffin Park. She said: “It was great to be able to be a part of Woody’s day. I knew how important it was to lift his spirits and made sure we supported the lad and restored some of his faith in football. To see his face and the smile getting bigger makes this such a great job and to see him have a memorable day is the best feeling.

World Mental Health Day – Professional coaching for Hounslow Hawks team at Brentford FC training ground

Yesterday proved no ordinary training session for Assistant Coach Richard O’Kelly and Brentford winger Sergi Canós. To mark World Mental Health Day, the duo ran a unique football coaching session for adults with mental health problems at Brentford’s training ground.

The adults are members of the Hounslow Hawks FC & West London FC Football project, which provides football as therapy for patients who are living with a mental illness. The initiative, run in partnership with West London NHS Trust and Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, has been credited with improving the patients’ wellbeing and supporting their mental health recovery.

Playing on Brentford’s hallowed turf at Jersey Road, the players from Hounslow Hawks and West London FC were thoroughly impressed with the expert training they received from Assistant Coach Richard O’Kelly.
Loni Cericola, who has been part of Hounslow Hawks for about four months, said: “Coming down to Brentford’s training ground today and not feeling embarrassed or judged about my illness means a lot to me. “If this event today can make just one person realise that they are not alone and that there is help out there, then we have achieved something.”

Commenting on the impact the Hounslow Hawks project has had on his mental health, Lori said: “Being part of a football group with a group of guys in a similar situation to me is great because I am never judged. “One day I might be running around energetically the next day I might feeling down, but that doesn’t matter. The guys in my football group understand because they have days like that as well.” With one in four people experiencing a mental health condition at some point in their life, the session aimed to tackle the stigma around mental health and highlight how sport can be instrumental on the road to recovery.

Assistant Coach Richard O’Kelly, who led the session, said: “It was fantastic to be involved with an initiative like this for World Mental Health Day; all the players had loads of energy and enthusiasm. “It was a first-class event and the players were excellent at supporting each other throughout the training session.” And with the EFL launching a new partnership with the mental health charity Mind this year, the championship club are leading the way in raising awareness of mental health both on and off for the football pitch.

Michelle Nielsen, Occupational Therapy Technician at West London’s NHS Trust, said:“We have been running the Hounslow Hawks project for eleven years now and it’s amazing the impact it has had on players’ lives – improving their confidence, self-esteem and overall wellbeing. “By playing a ‘team sport’ the players have been able to share experiences and make new friends – reducing the sense of loneliness and isolation so many people with mental health conditions experience.”

The Hounslow Hawks project has already cemented its pioneering reputation within the footballing world; the project won the FA’s Community ‘Best Inclusive Project Award’ back in 2017.

About Brentford FC CST:

With community work spanning three decades, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust has established itself as a pioneering organisation for the local community. It uses the power of sport to educate, motivate and inspire people from all walks of life.

Working in partnership with Brentford FC, the Trust offers a portfolio of programmes in education, health, sports participation and community engagement.
The Trust has won the ‘Football League Community Club of the Year’ award four times and now employs more than 100 members of staff.

West Ham United

Visit the Official West Ham store.

…and this is me at the 92nd and last ground on my tour of the 92 clubs in September 2010.

The shirt is from Kings Lynn.

Charlton Athletic

Charlton Athletic’s brand new, 90s inspired home kit for the 2018/19 season has been revealed.

Just as they did with the club’s new away shirt, kit manufacturer hummel have taken inspiration from a popular strip worn in the 1990s.

Influenced by the home kit worn by the Addicks during the 1989/90 and 1990/91 seasons, the new shirt includes a similar shadow chequerboard pattern to that of the original incarnation.

hummel were also keen to introduce more white back into this season’s strip and have included teardrop mesh side panels which hark back to another very popular kit worn during the successful decade – the white panels bringing back memories of the shirt which was worn during 1998’s play-off final at Wembley and the 1998/99 and 1999/2000 seasons.

The shirt, modelled by Jason Pearce and Lyle Taylor, as well as women’s team players Charley Clifford and Gemma Bryan, features hummel’s distinctive chevrons running down the sleeves and was once again chosen following consultation with supporters’ groups. It is complemented by white shorts with red trim and red socks with white trim.

Adult shirts will be priced £45, while shorts will be available for £25 and socks £12.

Meanwhile, kids’ shirts will be priced £35, with shorts priced at £18 and socks £10.

Eight Years Later

As it does, Facebook sent me an anniversary reminder and today it was to say that eight years ago today I cycled to the last of the 92 clubs. It was West Ham United at their old ground, Upton Park. It made me look back over the years and I took stock. I am delighted to say that I am still in touch with many of the people who made that trip possible. I also have to spare a thought for some who have gone to the Great Stadium in the sky. Thanks to all of you.

Some things never change. I am still as crazy about football as ever. This week I was at Norwegian level 3 and Norwegian level 4 games in Oslo. Gillingham go from bad to worse and I can see this season being a “challenge” ….. as most have been since 1965 when I first watched them. Manchester United, CD Torrevieja and Real Madrid have all dropped points this week and now it’s time to look forward to some exciting games as United travel to West Ham at their new London Stadium, Real Madrid have to bounce back from a 3-0 thumping in the big Madrid derby and Gillingham will hope to get something from the long trip to Shrewsbury.

Whatever happens, I will enjoy the weekend and I hope that you will too.

European Day of Languages: Brentford players teach local pupils French and Spanish

An interesting story just in. Not specifically about shirts but definitely worth sharing ….

Two Brentford stars swapped the dressing room for the classroom as they went back to school this week. Spanish winger Sergi Canós and French defender Yoann Barbet took part in a unique coaching session at Ealing Fields High School yesterday.

To the delight and awe of the pupils, the duo ran the football session entirely in French and Spanish, showcasing their talents as they taught their pupils both new football and language skills. The event was held to mark the European Day of Languages, which celebrates the 200 languages spoken in Europe.

“Dribbler comme Maupey” and “zigzag hasta el otro cono y hacer un pase a su compañero” were just some of the French and Spanish phrases uttered as the championship players coached the youngsters during the football session.

And after the football session, the pupils’ linguistic skills were tested – quizzing the players in a mock bi-lingual press conference. Acting as journalists, the pupils asked the players what food they liked and the cultural differences of living in the UK.

Commenting on the pupils’ language skills, Sergi Canos said:

“I was very impressed with the level of Spanish spoken today; when I was that age I could speak hardly any English.”

Yoann Barbet agreed, he said:

“We are here to show young people the importance of learning another language. It has certainly helped me in my football career and it can help these pupils in the wider world.”

The pupils were also put through their paces as they learnt key football phrases such as ‘red card’ and ‘free kick’ in French and Spanish.

13-year-old Hawa, who took part in the session, felt that learning a foreign language had an important purpose, she said:

“If you go to a foreign country and if you have basic level of French and Spanish it can make such a difference to your visit.”

Ben Bird, Head of Modern Languages at Ealing Fields, said:

“We are delighted that Yoann and Sergi were able to visit us as part of our European Day of Languages celebrations. It is exciting that our students are able to see how foreign languages can really play an integral part in their futures.

“It is often difficult to get students motivated by foreign languages, but an event like this can really inspire pupils.”

The event was part of the wider community work of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust – helping thousands of school children become active and live healthier lifestyles.

Lee Doyle, Chief Executive of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, said:

“The session at Ealing Fields High School is an example of how we try and be innovative both on and off the field. It was delivered by Trust’s coaches and Brentford players – combining physical activity with languages. Today, we certainly inspired young people to enjoy sport and reach higher levels of educational attainment.”

About Brentford FC CST:

With community work spanning three decades, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust has established itself as a pioneering organisation for the local community. It uses the power of sport to educate, motivate and inspire people from all walks of life.

Working in partnership with Brentford FC, the Trust offers a portfolio of programmes in education, health, sports participation and community engagement.
The Trust has won the ‘Football League Community Club of the Year’ award four times and now employs more than 100 members of staff.

Official Juventus Retro Collection

Today we proudly present to you: our official Juventus retro collection. This first collection is a celebration of the clubs rich history.

We go back to the 1952 scudetto when the Dane, John Hansen, became Serie A topscorer with 30 goals. We also celebrate their first major European title, the UEFA Cup in 1977, with the home and away shirt of that season. During the 1983 – 84 season Platini guided Juve to their 21st scudetto and won the European Cup Winners Cup in a distinctive yellow jersey. The collection is completed with two classic retro jackets and a ‘My First Juventus Shirt’ for the youngest fans.

The official Juventus retro collection can be found online through copafootball.com, in our Flagshipstore in Amsterdam, through the official Juventus fanstores and via selected retailers and online resellers. All the retro items are packaged and dispatched in luxury gift boxes.

West Bromwich Albion

Official West Bromwich Albion Retro Collection

After working with illustrious Championship clubs like Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town last season, we are happy to show you our first official West Bromwich Albion retro collection. Jointly, we have launched two well-known retro shirts and a retro jacket, to cherish WBA’s rich history.

West Bromwich Albion are one of the oldest and proudest names in English football. The club was formed in 1878 and has played at its home ground, The Hawthorns, since 1900. They are members of a select group of clubs to have won all three major domestic honours and are one of the founding members of the Football League.

The official West Bromwich Albion collection can be found online through copafootball.com, in the official WBA fanstores and via selected retailers and online resellers. All the retro items are packaged and dispatched in luxury gift boxes.

FC Nantes

OFFICIAL FC NANTES RETRO COLLECTION

Now the new football season is in full swing, we are ready to launch multiple new club projects. The first exciting collaboration is our official FC Nantes collection. Today, we have launched three classic retro shirts, a retro jacket and a ‘My First Football Shirt’ for the youngest fans.

The collection captures the essence of the club’s history. Including the famous “Europe 1-shirt”, in which the club celebrated the Ligue 1 title in 1980. There was a musical footnote to this title win, when football-mad Bob Marley was scheduled to perform at the club’s La Beaujoire stadium. The reggae singer donned a Nantes shirt and captained his Wailers team in a 5-a-side pre-concert match against a selection made up of Nantes players.

The official FC Nantes collection can be found online through copafootball.com, in our Flagshipstore in Amsterdam, through the official FC Nantes fanstores and via selected retailers and online resellers. All the retro items are packaged and dispatched in luxury gift boxes.

Tuk Tuk to Turkey

I came across this interesting story today. No, it’s not about football but it is a great example of people doing what others aren’y prepared to do. Good Luck!

What is ‘Tuk Tuk To Turkey’ all about?

*5 YEARS AGO* Emily Sumaria was found dead by her university housemates. At 10:36pm on the 3rd of December, sisters Amy and Emily were joking about their failed fad diets before heading off to Cuba for a family holiday. By 10:36am the next day Emily was dead. She was just 19. Our family now has an enormous dark hole and we hold desperately onto memories and photographs. They are all we have.

It was so completely out of the blue – whilst Emily had epilepsy she was on medication and you could count on one hand the number of seizures she’d had. Her epilepsy was totally controlled and we had never heard of SUDEP: Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy.

Amy had to deal with the immediate aftermath of her sister’s death all on her own as Rachel & Bharat were on an aeroplane on the other side of the world. She had to tell them over the phone that their youngest daughter was dead. It was a long journey home for them and it was four months before we all knew from the coroner why Emily had died.

*TUK TUK TO TURKEY* is our family’s way of taking the tragedy of Emily being stripped of her bright future and turning it into something positive. Over the past 5 years we have seen incredible fundraising efforts from her wonderful friends and Leeds university hockey team. They have inspired and motivated us to do something very much out of our comfort zone. It’s going to be a massive challenge and there is a huge amount to do – from route planning to persuading Bharat there is a genuine need for him to go on a mechanics course to deciding what colour tinsel we need to decorate our trusty Indian Tuk Tuk with! Rachel is not a natural happy camper and needs her scented candles so her expectations will need to be managed! Not to mention poor James who will be spending 6 weeks in a tuk tuk with Amy’s parents!

We’re going to leave in September and start our journey though the UK, France, Belgium…….Macedonia, Albania etc. until we end up, 21 countries (and 6 weeks) later in Istanbul. The tiny tuk tuk has little or no suspension, is exposed to the elements, is noisy and doesn’t go very fast! It will struggle up hills let alone over the Alps. We will be travelling on some very poor roads and will have to locate campsites or cheap hostelries as we go.

*SUDEP Action* is a small well-run charity that punches way above its weight. The £42,000 that will be raised by our efforts will be going towards SUDEP Action’s *PREVENT 21* campaign which will hopefully raise £1m over the next four years and go towards ground-breaking scientific and clinical developments, raising awareness of SUDEP and continue to provide the invaluable support and community that bereaved families desperately need.

21 people a week die from epilepsy and many of those deaths are avoidable. SUDEP can strike at any time and it can shatter lives overnight. Young adults are particularly at risk. People like Emily, who live with epilepsy, are rarely warned of this risk by their doctors. Their families, like ours, have often not heard of it until the coroner’s report. But this doesn’t need to happen. Awareness means that people with epilepsy can manage their risk and reduce their chances of dying.

In addition to the money we raise, we hope our colourful journey through Europe will raise awareness of SUDEP and this great charity and in turn will save lives.

*WHAT YOU CAN DO*:

*DONATE!* Anything you can donate, big or small, would be an incredible help and would really encourage us to get through all the challenges ahead of our final destination.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tuktuktoturkey

*SPONSOR ONE OF OUR 21 COUNTRIES!* If your company would like exposure on all our platforms then sponsor country and your logo etc can join our journey

*JOIN US!* If you’d like to join us for a couple of days then please get in touch (tuktuktoturkey@outlook.com)! We’d love some company along the route.

For more information on SUDEP and the incredible work done by SUDEP Action please click through to their website here – www.sudep.org

Much to Bart’s dismay we’re all over SOCIAL MEDIA. Please follow our journey and SHARE SHARE SHARE on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tuktuktoturkey/?hl=en
Website: tuktuktoturkey.com
Or email us at tuktuktoturkey@outlook.com

#tuktuktoturkey #sumosafari #prevent21

Full details at www.TukTukToTurkey.com