The footballs, which will be distributed to local teams and coaches in Livingstone are currently being stitched at the Alive and Kicking Factory in Lusaka.The 100 footballs have been able to be made thanks to the generous donations from Community Trust fundraising.

Alive and Kicking makes top quality footballs, volleyballs, netball’s, handballs, and rugby balls in Kenya and Zambia. They are the only formal manufacturer of sports balls in Africa and are a charitable social enterprise. The organisation uses business practices to pursue our charitable objectives. The organisation create fair paid jobs in the manufacture of sports balls that are appropriate for typical African conditions, and they ensure that schools that cannot afford to buy the balls are able to access them. The balls are made of African leather, which makes them twice as resistant to puncture as the most robust synthetic ball on the market.

The 100 footballs will continue to be used in Livingstone alongside the 700 footballs that have previously been distributed since the agreement was formed in December 2008 on the back of the Gothia Cup in 2007.

With the coaching team now departing on Friday 24th May, please check back for more updates over the coming weeks.

Our first young person is Jack Goodenough, an 18 year old from Gorse Hill in Swindon. He is a keen camper and loves football, whilst having a passion for Moto GP too. Jack has helped out at a number of sessions and events since we recruited him along with the help of mentor, Shane Hewlett.

Jack said, “I’ve loved being involved with the football club and the coaching. It’s been a great experience so far and I’m looking forward to it continuing. I’m nervous about Zambia, but excited about being there soon. I don’t know what to expect but I’m keen to help as much as I can and hopefully the trip will change my life.”

The second young person attending the trip is Becka Ash, an 18 year old from Eldene in Swindon. Becka is a keen footballer who enjoys socialising with her friends. Becka, who has been mentored by Beth Thompson in the recent weeks said, “It’s been good to be busy again working at sessions with other coaches. Overall, a real eye opener actually because I didn’t know how much effort and time goes into the programmes Swindon Town Football in the Community run. I’m really excited about Zambia, but at the same time nervous as I don’t know what to expect with anything, especially the different way of living. One thing I am looking forward to is affecting peoples lives in a good way.”

Over the last 8 weeks, Jack and Becka have been involved in our extensive coaching programme and projects with our full time staff acting as mentors. They have also helped out at social fundraising events, like our race nights and our 6-a-side tournament, in order to find out about the projects the Community Trust offers to the local area of Swindon and it’s surroundings.

All of the STFiTC staff wish Jack and Becka the best of luck in their time in Zambia, and hope they continue to impress not only in Zambia but after too upon their return.

This will be the 3rd year that the Trust have operated the CFFE after a successful 2nd season playing against Reading, Watford, QPR and Swansea to name a few. Girls are given the opportunity to develop within a structured environment under the guidance of high quality STFC qualified coaches who use the latest coaching methods. We currently have over 300 girls participating within our Development Programme with this new Centre offering the girls an opportunity to further enhance their pathway to excellence. Girls will be able to continue to represent their local clubs as well as attending the Centre for Football Excellence. The Centre will be arranging fixtures against other Football League Clubs with minimum disruption to the Girls league.

This season will see one of our squads travel to Sweden for an incredible experience of participating in the Gothia World Youth Cup. Over 52,000 will pack into the opening ceremony which takes place in Gothenburg in July 2014 .Our girls play against teams from Brazil, USA and the rest of the world.

What you will commit to:

• 1 Training session per week at the Croft Sports Centre on their new‘3G pitches’

• 10 games per season against other Football League Clubs and Centres.

We will be running the following Age groups for season 2013-2014 Commencing Monday 2nd September 2013.

Year 11 – u16
Year 10 – u15
Year 9 – u14
Year 8 – u13
Year 7 – u12
Year 6 – u11
Year 4/5 – u10

Trial Dates will be at Croft Sports Centre:

U 13’s/U 14’s: Monday 24th June & Monday 1st July 2013, Grass 5-6.30

U 11’s/U 12’s: Wednesday 26th June &Wednesday 3rd July, Astro 5-6.30pm

U 15’s /U16’s: Thursday 27th June & Thursday 4th July 2013, Astro /Grass 5-6.30pm

U 10’s: Saturday 22nd June 2013, Grass 10-11.30am

If you would like to apply then please fill out the attached application. FITC Girls Excellence Application 2013-14 >>

We look forward to seeing you at the trials, if you require any further information please contact the Girls Centre for Football Excellence Directors Jon Holloway or Shane Hewlett on 01793 617718 or 07919 112982 / 07966 305320.

STFiTC are this years chosen charity for Swindon Cares and the 6 a Side is one of many fundraising events for that Swindon Cares deliver throughout the year.

The tournament will be taking place on Friday 20th September 2013 at the County Ground Extension with a 5.30pm kick off and the final finishing by 9.30pm.

There is a limit of 16 teams with the group stages being played out in two pools of 8 giving each team 7 games of a minimum of 10 minutes before progression to the knock out stages.

The cost to enter a team is £60 and an application form can be found below:

Swindon Cares 6 ASide Application >>

For more details please contact Joe O’Brien via email at joe@stfc-fitc.co.uk. Clive Maguire clive@stfc-fitc.co.uk or Nick Arkell, nick@arkells.com.

The donations have been collected and kindly stored at the Big Yellow Self Storage on Drakes Way in the lead up to their despatch since the appeal started 2 years ago. James Finnis, Assistant Manager ‘Big Yellow Self Storage Swindon is proud to offer continued support to the Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust.  For the third consecutive year, we have provided free space in aid of the FITC Zambia project. This terrific project has benefitted so many and we are happy to be able to play our part. At Big Yellow, our mantra is “we are here to help”, in this case it is not just our customers we are helping but people on the side of the world in real need.’

The donations will be collected by a coaching team made up of 5 Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust coaches, 2 ‘NEET’S', 1 Referee Tutor and 2 ‘N Power Volunteers’ . The team will spend 11 days in the town of Livingstone and deliver a coaching programme to local football teams and schools, coach education to youth workers and community coaches and deliver 2 football tournaments for local Zambian teams. The team will also deliver a disability programme, as well as expanding on the girls development programme and installingsolar lights in a local school, which have been very kindly donated from the Cricklade charity ‘Lights for Learning.’

Jon Holloway, Football in the Community Development Manager, commented, ‘We can’t thank DHL and Big Yellow enough for their invaluable support again this year. It really is an integral part of the trip when we distribute all of the kits, boots and equipment to all of the local schools, youth groups and teams within Livingstone and its surrounding areas.’

Swindon Town Football in the Community Trust would like to thank everybody who has donated kit from boots and shirts to shin pads and goal keeper’s gloves.

Check back over the coming weeks for information regarding the visit leading up to the Coaching Team’s departure on the 24th May.

Today’s topic is: Lights for Learning

The Lights for Learning project and work in Africa began in Kenya in the year 2000 and within their annual holiday the team and volunteers soon became lost in the energy of the African continent. One young man in particular took their attention and they discovered that even though he was on a very low income, he was putting his two children through education as well as supporting his extended family at home. They decided to do their best to help him by sponsoring his children.

This was when the journey really kicked off for Lights for Learning and it was the start of their involvement in providing a fantastic service to African towns all over the continent. On their next couple of visits they were invited to meet the family in the village and to visit the school where the children were being educated.

Since the first installations in ‘friends’ homes they have continued to develop and have come on in leaps and bounds by developing a solar powered lighting system that can be fitted into schools throughout the developing world. There are so many schools in Africa alone that need this system, however due to their budget they can only work on as many projects as it will allow, so they desperately need help with funding this important, essential work that helps so many adults and children.

All of the STFiTC and NPower team attending the Zambia Trip are looking forward to continuing the Lights for Learning legacy in Africa, and for more information on the project and their tireless work towards a brighter future in Africa you can contact their team on 01793 750844.

The game was played in an excellent spirit with the quality of the football at times at an outstanding level.

It was great to see the youngsters aged between 14 and 16 years enjoying and having the opportunity to play on a professional pitch. Everybody who took part was presented a momento medal from Mike Spearman – Chairman of STFC Football In The Community Trust and Rob Paget from Wiltshire Council  Sports Development Department.

Clive Maguire STFC Development Manager has commented ‘This is the 3rd year we have been able to fulfil this fixture and it really does make a different to the youngsters who embraced the occasion whole heartedly. We are looking forward to trialling again in October where we will pick the squad who will have their annual fixture at Marlborough College in February 2014 with us finishing again with a prestigious fixture on the County Ground Pitch. I would like to thank all the Staff and the players for making it such a memorable occasion.’

Early in the first half the Swindon Town had some good spells of possession but couldn’t quite find the final ball that would allow them an effort on goal. Reading on the other hand played well on the break and forced a good save from Sara Moreira, tipping the ball onto the post when the striker was through on goal.

The second half saw much the same endeavour from Swindon Town, lots of nice possession yet lacking the creative edge which may have made the difference whilst Reading produced two goals of the highest quality which was harsh on the Swindon girls yet gives them a lesson on what to expect in Sweden at the end of July. Once Reading added a third goal the game was all but over but manager Luke Sharps has some positives to take away from the  games.

He added, “the girls produced some good spells of possession and we will carry on building on this as we look towards the girls going to the Gothia Cup in the  summer. We will carry on getting the girls fitter, stronger and better prepared for the challenge that awaits them.”

The presentation was focused on introducing the Outset business start-up programme to the students with the aim of setting up future workshops for the students. These workshops would look to give the students the basic skills that they would need for starting up their own business from conceiving an initial idea through to developing it, marketing, producing it and then looking to grow the business further. The workshops also includes the necessary financial information that would be imperative when looking at establishing your own business.

STFiTC Education Officer Adam Tribbick commented:

“Being able to offer this opportunity is key to our aim of developing as many employability skills within our group of Education Programme students. We want to be able to open up as many options to them when they leave us as possible. Having the opportunity to receive business start up advice from an experienced and well backed organisation could be the key to opening a new route for some of our students.”

After Swindon Town’s heroic efforts throughout the season and in the end of season play-offs, many children and adults will be hoping to emulate their heroes by scoring and playing on the pitch in a festival of football event that captures the eye of the Swindon Town Football in the Community coaching team.

The much talked about event begins on Friday 10th May at 5.30pm when Under 11 boys and girls compete. This is only the first part of the festival but it will see a fantastic 200 boys and girls take part in their respective matches. Saturday 11th May sees the Under 7-10′s age groups compete at their respective age group times (details and times below) with over 500 children taking part as well as being cheered on by their team coaches and parents on the day!

Saturday evening will see the adult teams compete with a 6pm start planned, where we have 20 teams participating in an adult tournament.

Registration Details

Friday 10^th May

Under 11’s Boys- 5.00pm registration, 5.30pm tournament commences. Estimated finish time 8.30

Under 11’s Girls- 5.30pm registration, 6.00pm tournament commences. Estimated finish time 8.30pm.

Saturday 11^th May

Under 9’s- 8.00am registration, 8.30am tournament commences. Estimated finish time 12.30.

Under 10’s- 8.00am registration, 8.30am tournament commences. Estimated finish time 1.00pm.

Under 8’s- 12.30pm registration, 1.00pm tournament commences. Estimated finish time 4.00pm.

Under7’s- 3.45pm registration, 4.15pm tournament commences. Estimated finish time 5.45pm.

 Please note:

• - On arrival please could the 8 players and 2 managers make their way along the back of the Arkells Stand up to the Stratton Bank end of the ground.
• - All other spectators should enter the ground on the corner of the Arkells Stand where it meets the Town End. Spectators entrance fees are as follows: Adults 16+ £3.00, Under 16’s/O.A.P’s- £1.50.
• - The Football Club car park is a pay and display car park and parking attendants do patrol the area. Please ensure you inform your parents it is pay on display on arrival.
• - Rules of the tournament and fixtures will be available in the programme on the day.

Everyone at STFiTC is looking forward to another fantastic footballing event and would like to thank you for your support in fundraising in aid of the STFiTC Zambia trip at the end of May.