Footballs back

For the second year running, Drum Housing Association is teaming up with Portsmouth Football Club to provide free football coaching over the summer months to keep children, from the communities in which they serve, entertained.

Last year Drum ran a pilot holiday programme at two locations in Horndean and in Headley.  The feedback from the two courses was incredibly positive, both from the children involved and from the wider community.

"Our football in the community scheme aims to reduce anti-social behaviour and promote healthy living and valuable life skills, like teamwork and respect," explains Andrew Boughton, Community Project Worker, "but most important of all the young people had such a great time last year.

The coaches from PFC also took time to give talks on healthy living and diet, and all but two of the children that went through the programmes last year thought this was ԑcool.

The Community Forum for the South has agreed to assist Drum with the financial support required for the programme to run this summer in Jubilee fields, Horndean, on the week commencing 20th August 2007.  This will be open to children living not only in Horndean, but also to those from Clanfield and Rowlands Castle. Drum is also grateful for the support from EHDC 'Community Forum' for the north, as they have also contributed to the football programme to be run at Heatherlands, Headley Down.  The Football programme for Heatherlands will start week commencing 30th July.  For further details and to book a free place on either the Horndean or Heatherlands courses, contact Portsmouth Football Club on 02392 778557.

As well as these holiday courses, Drum is working with PFC to provide a community education programme in five school in Bordon, focussing on fitness, team work, respect and new skills experienced through training in football.  Wider social and educational information such as healthy lifestyles, diet and anti-smoking will be delivered during school assemblies.  Overall 900 pupils will benefit form this experience.

Drum hope to extend this project by running 5 week long courses at 12 junior schools across East Hampshire, and this will see around 1,500 children benefiting.  Again, this will be based on positive messages being conveyed through the medium of football.  Drum is waiting to see whether they will receive sufficient funding to pursue this project.

The significance that Drum places on the availability of such quality activities, led them to partner PFC, as they are beneficial to all the community, including their own residents. It is proven that courses such as the PFC 'Football in the Community' project can reduce antisocial behaviour in communities.  In addition, positive engagement with young people reduces boredom, which is one of the components of anti-social behaviour.