Premier League Kicks is a project run by the Community Trust that aims to get people involved in sport who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to.
All sessions are free of charge and offer fun, enjoyable and exciting opportunities to really get involved within sport.
James Aspinall, who is the Premier League Kicks co-ordinator for the Trust, told us more about the project. He said: “Premier League Kicks is a project run by the charitable fund, targeting 8 to 18-year-olds who may come from deprived areas.
“The project is aimed to keep kids off the streets and get them engaged in football and other sports.
“It gives them an opportunity to be involved within sport and there are so many opportunities that come with it. They can get involved with coaching, officiating and much more.
“It’s a way of keeping people in sport and off the streets, whilst offering them a pathway to a potential future career or hobby.”
The programme helps shape young lives and tries to put people on the right path to a bright future and Aspinall said that the programme is vital to the community.
“It’s absolutely huge for the community and for the people within it,” he said. “We want to engage with the kids that maybe don’t have the opportunity to normally get involved in sport for various different reasons.
“It provides opportunities and pathways for the kids which is absolutely vital. It gets them involved with the club too, which is an added bonus.”
Aspinall expressed how rewarding this programme has been. He said: “It’s been absolutely fantastic; I can’t express that enough.
“You can really see that you’re making a difference to people in the community.
“Some of the kids have never been involved within sport and now they’re heading to tournaments and really getting stuck in with these activities.
“There’s no doubt about it, it’s been great and some of the kids have changed since beginning the project.
“We invest in the children and most of them are now starting to invest back in us.”
Aspinall was keen to tell people how to get involved, saying: “We have a range of sessions, from roller skating to football.
“All you need to do is contact me via my email [see at bottom of article], I’ll get back to you and we can have a discussion.
“We have plenty of stuff going out on social media too, so keep an eye out on the Trust’s socials to see more information on the sessions we run.
“Don’t be afraid to get involved and get your kids involved. Just get in touch with me.
“All our sessions are totally free; you do not pay a penny so just come down and give it a try. You might find it’s something you really enjoy.”
For more information, please email: jamesaspinall@spireitestrust.org.uk
