Trust mission is to bring football to the masses

The AFC Community Trust runs a variety of programmes, incorporating football and community-centred approaches.

Regular AFCCT football centres allow children between the ages of seven and 16 to receive coaching during termtime, while the trust also operates holiday camps, girls’ football sessions and mini-kickers, geared towards those aged three and up.

However, its community projects have gathered huge recognition, with the Dementia Friendly programme, aimed at getting those living with dementia participating in health and wellbeing activities, winning the European Club Association award for best community and social responsibility award in 2017. They have also recently rolled out a mental health programme in two schools – Lochside Academy and Buchanhaven Primary – and Steven Sweeney, AFCCT’s community operations manager, says there is a balance to be found between what the community needs and national goals.

He said: “It’s two-fold – some people look at community work as a bottom-up approach and some look at it as a topdown approach.

“We listen to the community, develop ideas and co-produce something together. Topdown you look at national and local strategies and work down the way. We try to have a steady line in the middle; we listen to the community and coproduce things but work with the local authorities and government with what their priorities are.

“That way it’s clear what the community needs and what the government prioritises. We’ll design initiatives along with the community to tackle those needs and help as many people as we can. It’s the club’s responsibility to give back to the community. It’s a moral responsibility to give back. We’ve got a city and region that’s been so good to us for many years, so it’s time to give back.”