As part of the EFL Week of Action 2023 the disability group have received a professional footballer's experience for the day.
The EFL Week of Action 2023 is running this week, giving 72 EFL clubs the fantastic opportunity to showcase the impact they make on a weekly basis to local communities. The support EFL clubs provide to communities is vital and with our towns and cities facing more challenges with the cost of living, the Week of Action will help demonstrate the important role EFL clubs and Club Community Organisations (CCOs) play in supporting people in their daily lives.
As part of the Northampton Town FC Community Trust’s Week of Action showcase, they invited over 20 members from their Every Player Counts programme to attend the Cobblers first team training. This was a fantastic opportunity for the group to see how professional footballers train as well as giving them the chance to get their boots on and take part in a football session coached by first team coach Marc Richards, something they never could have imagined to be possible!
The Every Player Counts programme is an EFL funded initiative which provides weekly football coaching sessions to service users dealing with drug and alcohol misuse issues. The project has been running for several years in partnership with the Bridge & Recovery House, specialist organisations who provide peer support which links volunteers who have recovered from alcohol and/or drug misuse with members with serious substance misuse problems.
During the year fixtures are also organised against other groups and culminate in an opportunity to play at Sixfields in the Heads-Up Football Tournament.
Russell Lewis, Disability Officer at the Northampton Town FC Community Trust said: “This was a moment that the group will never forget, to see the first team train in the flesh and have the opportunity to take part in similar activities themselves was a highlight in their year. It is a fantastic way to reward the group for their commitment to their football and recovery over the last few years.”
For further information about the programme please visit: ntfccommunity.co.uk/every-player-counts1