Kids Initiative and Community News Archive 2024

BACK THE BEACH - University Hospitals Dorset Charity

Details

Published: Monday, 24 June 2024 07:59

Pictured: Janine Golding, Andy White and kids from the KI Soccer Coaching and members of Poole Town FC Wessex girls teams

Poole Town FC announced at the end of last season that their chosen charity for the coming season would be University Hospitals Dorset Charity who recently launched their BEACH Appeal.

The Appeal is to raise £1.5m to equip and furnish the new six-storey BEACH building (Birth, Emergency And Critical Care and Children's Health) at Bournemouth Hospital with the extras that the NHS don't provide. As a Club we are setting a target to raise £2,500 to buy toys and furnishings for the new Children's Department which will occupy the top floor of this new, state of the art building.

Local charity, the Gale Foundation Trust will match any money raised by the club up to £2,500 giving us a real chance to improve the experience of children unlucky enough to find themselves in hospital.

To officially launch the Appeal, Janine Golding, from the UHD charity attended our Monday night Kids Initiative training session at Parkstone Grammar School.

Pictured with her in the photograph are Andy White, Vice Chair of Poole Town FC Wessex and children from the Kids Initiative and some of the teams from Poole Town FC Wessex's girl's teams, all of whom are ready to BACK THE BEACH!

Through the course of the season we will be looking to host a number of NHS days at the Club and to raise money through various events and bucket collections.'

Learn More About Children's Play requirements at UHD BEACH Appeal

University Hospitals Dorset NHS to be our Charity of the Year for 2024/25 season

Details

Published: Wednesday, 08 May 2024 06:30

Click the image to play the video

Following the inaugural NHS Day we held at our home game at the end of March, we are pleased to announce that University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) NHS will be our Charity of the Year for the coming season.

The timing couldn’t be better as UHD have recently launched their BEACH Appeal looking to raise £1.5m to add additional furnishings, equipment and facilities to the new hospital block at Bournemouth Hospital.

Any funds we collect will go towards providing toys and equipment for the new children’s ward which will be housed in this new, state-of-the-art facility.

Please take a look at the UHD video by clicking the image or the following link to view it on YouTube UHD Charity Beach Appeal (youtube.com) .

Fundraising events will be held throughout the season with another NHS day planned towards the end of the season.

KI DONATION FROM THE DARTING DOLPHINS

Details

Published: Monday, 06 May 2024 21:36

Richard Gale receives the cheque from members of Poole Town FC's Darting Dolphins team

Local Darts Team Make a Welcome Donation to the Kids Initiative

During our last home game of the season, Club Director Richard Gale received
a cheque for £526.90 from the Club's darts team - The Darting Dolphins.

During the course of their season, the darts team raise money for good
causes and this season the KI were fortunate beneficiaries of their
generosity.

Richard commented 'Donations like this are so crucial for us to be able to keep providing the free coaching and support we give to local children and schools and such a large sum will make a real difference. Thank you to all the team for their efforts - it is much appreciated.'

School Voucher Day UPDATE

Details

Published: Sunday, 05 May 2024 06:06

WHAT A FANTASTIC SCHOOL VOUCHER DAY!

We Could Not Have Asked For A Better Day

Having had the disruption and disappointment of having to re-arrange our annual School Voucher Day, we could not have asked for a better occasion when we the Day went ahead at our last home game of the season in April.

We were exceptionally lucky with a beautiful, sunny, spring day and we had a brilliant turn out on our School Vouchers with a record 34 schools across BCP taking part.

To entertain those present we had the Lemur from Lemur Landings and the Pirates of Poole in attendance, giving away freebies to children.

With a great atmosphere in the ground, the players didn’t disappoint either, winning the game 2-0. After the final whistle the players were joined by their families and fans alike on the pitch to celebrate the end of the season.

School Voucher Day (Re-Arranged) Home Vs Didcot Town 20th April

Details

Published: Monday, 15 April 2024 06:06

IT'S SCHOOL VOUCHER DAY!

On Saturday we play Didcot and it is the Annual School voucher day so we are expecting it to be busy.

As in previous years Poole Town FC are offering local children and their families the chance to come and watch a Poole Town FC home league game for free.

The chosen match, against Merthyr Town, was moved at short notice to Dorchester Town FC’s ground due to Poole’s waterlogged pitch.

The School Voucher Day has now been re-arranged for this coming Saturday’s (20th April 2024) last home game of the season against Didcot Town.

We have sent out new vouchers to the participating schools for them to email to parents once more but these may not have been sent out due to the Easter holidays.

If that is the case we will accept the original vouchers issued for the Merthyr Town game.

We expect a large crowd so please arrive early to avoid lengthy queues.

You can find Neil Wellington's Match preview HERE...

Ahoy there me Hearties!

Watch out there be Pirates about!

On Saturday 20th April 2024, the day of our home game against Didcot when we host our School Voucher Day, we will be entertaining some of the Pirates of Poole. Especially for us, the Pirates have agreed not to set sail on that Saturday and will instead come down to the match to entertain you landlubbers.

They will be handing out flyers with information about this summer’s Harry Paye Day, where they will be raising money for the Kids Initiative, as well as balloons and other gifts for children. No doubt photo opportunities will be available.

Why not dress up as Pirates and join the fun

KI To Assist More Schools With Helping Improve The Lives Of Their Pupils

Details

Published: Friday, 01 March 2024 10:12

SCHOOLS UPDATE - 4 MORE SCHOOLS WORKING WITH THE KI

One of the main ambitions of the KI, from its inception, was to be able to work with local schools in assisting them in improving the lives of their children, whether that be mentally or physically.

2 school teams for Bayside Academy set up with kit, equipment and coaching supplied by the Kids Initiative

KI coach Andy White and Hillbourne head teacher Laura Bennett together with new and reconditioned boots donated to the school

Over time the KI has developed a number of incentives under its Schools Program to achieve both objectives. From its free football sessions to setting up school teams and from its School Award Tickets to the free boots available through its Boot Room scheme, the benefits to schools working with us is huge. It has taken time to get the message out to schools but in the past few weeks we have been delighted to be working with 4 more Poole schools in a number of ways.

Oakdale Junior and Hillbourne Primary Schools both have new, energetic and forward looking headteachers and we have supplied both football boots and trainers for them to lend out to children and School Award Tickets to reward children for a variety of achievements. We are talking further to both about providing free coaching and football sessions.

Heatherlands Primary is another one to take advantage of the Schools Award scheme. In addition the KI and Poole Town FC Wessex, our junior's club, are one of three clubs selected in Dorset to run a new, FA pilot program called Play On, an 8 week course designed to get schools and clubs working together to get more girls in football. Heatherlands is our partner school in this pilot and the course will be run by KI coach Andy White starting in March.

St. Edwards in Canford Heath is another school we had not had engagement with before until we sponsored a recent THRIVE course there at the end of January. In addition to donating £1,000 towards covering the cost of providing the 8 week, early intervention course both Richard Gale, and first team coach James Ellis, attended one session to address the issues surrounding exercise, healthy eating and self-image. The following week, first team coach Joe Roach, attended St. Aldhelms school in Parkstone and gave a similar talk to a THRIVE course being held there. Again, the KI has donated £1,000 towards the cost of delivery of this course.

Another school we have returned to is Bayside Academy in Turlin Moor. Having provided the kit and coaching to set up 2 new teams last year, coach Dan Walker, returned for half a term to coach this school year's new boys team.

GIRLS REQUIRED FOR NEW U8s TEAM

Details

Published: Friday, 23 February 2024 07:46

Spaces Available, Get Involved Today...

We still have spaces for girls currently in school year 1 & 2 for our FREE Saturday morning Mini Kicker sessions.

We hope from this group we will form at least one other new girl’s U8s team to play in the Dorset Youth League next season (September onwards).

For full details and registration Click HERE...

SCHOOL VOUCHER DAY

Details

Published: Wednesday, 21 February 2024 23:15

This Year's School Voucher Day Has Been Re-Arranged for the home game against Didcot Town CLICK HERE

FREE Match Tickets For Local Families

As in previous years, we are giving local children, and their families, a chance to come to a match for free this season. This year the chosen game is home to Merthyr on Saturday 6 April 2024.

The vouchers will be distributed by local schools, who will forward them to their children’s parents or guardians for them to print out and bring along for entry.