The Northampton Town Community Trust delivers projects for young people in areas of the county that would be defined as economically deprived, with a lack of opportunities and access to sports provision and equipment.
The Community Trust are working in partnership with ‘Alive and Kicking’ on behalf of Blackthorn Community Centre and Kingsthorpe St Davids in Northampton. These locations are where Premier League Kicks groups run; free informal coaching sessions for young people ages 8-18. Please see https://www.ntfccommunity.co.uk/pl-kicks
Alive and Kicking are the world’s only not for profit ball manufacturer. Every ball made by the charity helps to give thousands of young people across the globe free access to sport and play. Every ball borrowed and then returned helps to encourage activity and play in local communities, and to strengthen Alive and Kicking’s work and message.
Thanks to Sport England, they’re establishing more than 250 Football Libraries in community organisations across the country. This allows anyone to borrow a football for free and play with it on the surrounding parks, playgrounds and pitches. Find out more at www.aliveandkicking.org/libraryball
If young people aged up to 18 fancy a kick about but don’t have a football to hand, they can borrow a library ball for free at their local football lending library:
Host site 1: Where? Blackthorn Community Centre, Longmead Court, Northampton NN3 8QD.
When? Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 – 5 pm
Host site 2: Where? St. David's Church Hall, Eastern Avenue South, Kingsthorpe, NN2 7QB
When? Wednesday evenings during Kidz Link youth group session: 5-7pm
Monday evenings during Premier League Kicks session: 5-7pm
Friday evenings during Trilogy Street Sports session: 5.30-7.30pm
School holidays: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 9-11am
Kathryn White, Chief Executive, Growing Together, Blackthorn, Northampton said: “We are really excited to be leading on this new project – we know how much children like a new ball to kick around so now they can just pop down to Blackthorn Community Centre, the new bit, on a Tuesday or Thursday between 4-5pm and pick one up. Site supervisor Kev is leading the library and is keen to get the balls out and in use. We are pleased to be back running activities in the community – and we post information on all that is available for children and young people on our Facebook page ‘Growing Together Northampton’ and have leaflets and fliers available at the football library. Do pop down to find out more.”
Anna Letts, Premier League Kicks co-ordinator and Programmes Manager, NTFC Community Trust added: “The football lending library is a great idea as young people can borrow footballs to play in their local parks and MUGAs when our community coaches aren’t there delivering sessions. We have publicised this initiative to our Premier League Kicks groups as well as local youth groups, clubs and schools we work in partnership with in those areas. The host sites will be monitoring how often the balls are used to see how we can get the most out of the provision.”