A fun-filled Easter half-term at The Trust saw a breadth of activities throughout the two weeks for local youngsters to enjoy.
To kick things off, Friday 29th March saw the Trust’s annual matchday awareness game versus Leeds United. As well as four Trust spreads in the matchday programme, players wore shirts displaying the Trust logo on the sleeve, which allowed us to promote all things Trust, as well as raise funds via a post-match auction.
Over the two weeks, our Easter holiday courses took place across Watford, Harpenden, and Harrow. Our holiday courses are aimed at both boys & girls aged 6-13 years old, who are enthusiastic about football and want to learn and improve.
We celebrated an incredible HAF Easter camp at Cedars Youth & Community with four days full of fun and learning. From Met Police workshops to dance, boxing, football, and multi-sports, every day was different and packed with fun. We also ensured every child received a nutritious hot meal whilst providing them an opportunity to learn about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
A special thanks to the Mayor of Harrow for visiting the young people participating in our programme, and the Met Task Force for providing engaging workshops and activities. The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) camps are funded by the Department for Education and delivered in partnership with the Young Harrow Foundation and Harrow Council.
Next, on to our Meriden Community Centre in Watford, which saw 11-14-year-olds join us for a six-day camp, where they enjoyed free hot meals, a host of sports and team-building games, and some important workshops. This camp is known as HAPpy (Holiday Activity Programme) and is similarly funded by the Department for Education. However, this is delivered in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council, Herts Sports Partnership and the Hertfordshire Community Foundation.
Staying with Meriden Community Centre, our Mini Youth Club participants took part in a sustainability workshop, coming up with creative recycling ideas to understanding the importance of reducing our carbon footprint. Our young people are embracing their role in creating a greener, cleaner community.
On Saturday 6th April, Premier League Kicks hosted a Matchday Package. The event included a U12/U13 girls’ tournament at Westfield Academy. A boy’s tournament was also hosted, which included four teams made up of Harrow Afghan Association and Refugee Council. On the other half of the astroturf, local grassroots teams enjoyed a 90-minute coaching session with Trust coaches to help participants play, learn, and develop new football skills. After the session, all participants got to watch Watford FC vs Preston at Vicarage Road Stadium!
To finish off the fun-filled two weeks, our Youth Engagement Officer, Elliot, was nominated for Jack Petchey Leader Award. Using the grant, he was able to invite a mixture of our Watford and Harrow Premier League Kicks dance participants to enjoy a trip to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. They got to step onto authentic sets, discover the magic behind spellbinding special effects and explore the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter film series.
We have something for all young people. For more information on our activities visit our website https://www.watfordfccsetrust.com/
