The Guiseley AFC Community arm is celebrating its first anniversary of putting on courses for those in the local area. Below is a summary of what has happened in that year and what’s to come.

After our attending a workshop run by the Football Conference 18 months ago promoting Community Projects the Guiseley AFC Community Foundation was born. In order to run projects match funding is available from the Football Conference Trust.

The Trust dispenses funds from the Premier League and PFA to clubs in the Football Conference which enables them to part fund Community Projects. Match funding has of course still to be found and so bids have to be made to other sources if the project is to meet the financial criteria.

The Community Projects have enhanced the role and increased the profile of Guiseley AFC within the local and wider community. The last year has enabled the club to develop partnerships and opportunities by working alongside charities and organisations supporting young people and vulnerable members of our community.

We would not have been able to deliver these projects without the assistance of our partners and our own Danny Ellis, Stuart Gray and Colin Seal. Also Academy Players Luke Robinson, Ryan Dunne, Jermaine Wilson, Elliott Scott and Ben Whitfield who have volunteered to support our projects.

Summary of Projects

In at the deep end then, February Half Term was our first project, we offered football coaching sessions for boys and girls with support from a coach employed by Positive Futures along side Guiseley Ladies Secretary Jenny Taylor. During this year we have progressed to offering football coaching in all the school holidays except Christmas.

During the summer holidays we offered 5 hours coaching each day followed by a football tournament in the afternoon. Friday night ‘turn up and play’ football proved very popular especially with the younger boys and will run again from May until July.

Following on from the Olympics we have also expanded the sports we offer to
include Thai Boxing and Archery.

Our partnership with Aireborough Extended Services has grown over the past year with part funded courses in Sports Leadership, Dance Leadership, Tri Golf, Food Hygiene, First Aid, Football Skills and Multi Sports.

These courses have been targeted at the 14+ age group who can then use the skills they have acquired in order to volunteer as support for younger children attending the Extended Services school holiday projects.

The age limit is being reduced on some courses to age 12+ in
order to increase the number of young people who can access them. There are plans to support Otley Lions young volunteer training programme.

Following joint funding from the club’s share of the FA Charity Shield receipts and the Football Conference Trust we have enabled AVSED (Aireborough Voluntary Services for Elderly with Disabilities) to reduce their waiting list and start a second chair based exercise and yoga class.

Following a launch in August the class began in October and meets every Monday morning in the clubhouse. The class is well attended and supported by AVSED volunteers, the group are able to enjoy coffee and biscuits and some social time before the mini bus picks them up.

A charity 7 a side tournament launched our partnership with Guiseley Lions. Unfortunately the snowy weather prevented the tournament being played on the original date and the postponement adversely affected the number of teams available for the new date.

However thanks to all the teams involved especially Guiseley AFC Supporters who unfortunately lost out to overall winners Guiseley Lions we managed to raise £720. This was shared between Pancreatic Cancer Research and Medical Detection Dogs. It is hoped that the Charity Tournament will become an annual event.

Our Partners to date

Aireborough Extended Services Volunteer Project
Positive Futures
AVSED
Aireborough Thai Boxing
Handy Archer
Guiseley Lions

Where from here?
– Become a Registered Charity in order to access more funding
– Become a Provider of Level 1 Football Coaching Courses
– Deliver Master Class Coaching Courses for local junior football clubs
– Look to expand specialist coaching to the 14+ age group and expand our work with girls.
– Continue to develop our working relationships with AVSED and Aireborough Extended Services promoting both individual projects and inter generational work.
– Continue to develop our working relationship with Positive Futures and spread the Guiseley AFC name within the inner city.
– Continue to develop school holiday provision with Aireborough Thai Boxing and Handy Archer
– Discussions are currently taking place with Action for Children to provide support to young people leaving care promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging exercise.
– Supporting the work of Action for Children in their future projects around young people and families
– Discussions are also taking place with NACRO in Shipley to develop football and fitness with their client group
– We are looking at how best to work with groups who support adults and children with
Learning Difficulties in conjunction with the North West SILC (Green Meadows School)
– 1st Team and Academy Players going into local primary schools supporting PE, literacy and numeracy
– Expand our existing partnership with Guiseley Lions supporting their work in the local community

To register interest for Sports Leader Courses contact Katherine on robertk01@leedslearning.net or for further details email community@GuiseleyAFC.co.uk