Newport and Handpost Support Grassroots Sport

Under the leadership of peripatetic Customer Associate Cathy Bone, the groups benefiting from the fund are delivering a service or activity that supports community wellbeing, inclusion and diversity.

Cathy told us, "The groups we have chosen to support are primarily grassroots sports clubs that needed some help to pay for club kit and equipment. Three of the groups are youth groups, two of which are girls football clubs. After a tough year, parents and clubs needed some extra help to get the team kit paid for and we were delighted to be able to help. However, for us, it’s more than that. It’s about being able to see the teams progress through the season and the impact our support has had on access to sport and wellbeing."

Newport Branch have been supporting their teams from the side lines, providing a Society cheering squad where possible. As the public health measures begin to ease, the branch group hope to get out and about and attend more games.

Branch Manager Tom Ireland said, "Cathy has really driven our Branch Sponsorship Fund, from stewarding the applications and relationships with clubs to encouraging us all to get out and cheer on our teams at their games and training. Yes, it’s great to see our logo on team shirts but being able to see the impact having a professional strip has on the kids, well that’s everything. They feel like the Society believes in them, especially when we check in on their games, send them good luck messages and even turn up pitch side."

Here’s a round up of the teams our Newport and Handpost branches are supporting.

Riverside Rovers

Riverside Rovers is a youth football club that play at the Glebelands in Newport. The team requested £600 to fund the purchase of a new team kit. At the time, parents and the club were finding it challenging to fund the kit themselves but wanted to provide the children with a strip that would build their confidence and team identity. The kit was also a requirement of the boys moving into the competitive Welsh league.

Newport Schools FA

Forming a new team can be challenging. Bringing everyone together and developing a sense of shared identity, ambition and goals can be met with obstacles. In the world of sport, having a team kit that has been sponsored by an external body can go a long way. So, when Newport and Handpost branches agreed to sponsor a kit for 18 squad members in the newly formed Under 12 Girls’ squad, they were doing more than just giving cash. They were empowering a team!

Matthew Lakelin, Volunteer Coach for the team said, "This sponsorship will remove some of the financial barriers that may prevent some girls accessing the club. The benefits are  a more diverse group of girls will be able to participate in a higher level of competitive football. Through the club, we aim to build bridges between Newport’s schools to create a greater sense of community and teamwork across Newport."

Albion Rovers

Supporting inclusion and diversity is important to the Society and this has been reflected in our Branch Sponsorship Fund awards. Albion Rovers is another team that is developing girls' football at a grassroots level. Newport and Handpost branches were delighted to extend their sponsorship and support the team’s confidence and position in this area.

Coach Ross Tyler told us, "We wanted to provide the girls with training tops, especially for use in the winter months when not having the right kit can deter the girls from wanting to train. We found that lots of local businesses are scaling back on sponsoring small, grassroots groups because of the challenges they are facing in the wake of Covid. We were so excited to hear about the Society’s new fund and were even more thrilled to find out we’d been accepted for some. The girls are now turning up to training in a great mind set and love the sense of having a squad identity through their team tops. Having the Monmouthshire’s logo on them is the icing on the cake as they feel like a strong, local business cares about them."

Find out how we’re Branching into Communities with our Branch Sponsorship Fund and other initiatives.