News Story Date : 26 August, 2009

Crouch Makes Surprise Visit

England and Tottenham Hotspur striker, Peter Crouch, turned up on Monday in the London borough of Tower Hamlets to surprise young fans taking part in an inner city project using football to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people.

The project, ‘Skills4Life’ provides regular coaching sessions so that teams can play and enjoy football and enter into competitions in a safe and positive environment. Youngsters from the east London are encouraged away from anti-social behaviour and given the chance to give something back to their community through a volunteering scheme set up by the project. Routes into employment are also provided.

Skills4Life is being funded by the Team England Footballers Charity Outreach Programme, which receives investment from Sport England.

The Outreach Programme is a key part of the players’ Team England Footballers Charity (TEFC) and works to improve opportunities for 12 to 21 year olds in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the country. Skills4Life is one of 28 projects identified and funded by the TEFC.

Peter was on hand to offer tips and advice from the sidelines. He handed out prizes, signed autographs, posed for photographs and took part in a question and answer session with the youngsters. Peter said:

“It’s great to see first hand how our match fees are having a positive impact on the kids in the area. It is important that there are outlets for young people to benefit through football. My team mates and I are proud to be associated with this project, the people who work here to make this possible are fantastic, today’s event has been rewarding for everyone involved; I’ve really enjoyed my time here.”

Thomas Godfrey, Sport England’s Commercial Director, said:

“Playing sport, and being part of a team when you’re young, can have a hugely positive impact on people’s lives - whatever their background or sporting ability. We are supporting Skills4Life because it’s programmes such as this which can motivate young people and kick start the beginning of life-long sporting habits.”
The TEFC is also using the players’ investment and time to support chosen charity partners including Children’s Hospices UK; WellChild; the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK and the Professional Footballers Association Charity Initiatives.

To read more about the projects and work of the TEFC visit the TEFC page on the Creating Excellence Role Models site here

Notes to editors:

A CAF Trust Account, under the name Team England Footballers Charity has been set up via the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). CAF is a non-profit organisation committed to effective giving, providing a range of specialist services to donors, companies and charities in the UK and internationally.

The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK and The Professional Footballers Association charity initiatives will run until July 2010. Children’s Hospices UK and WellChild children’s charities will both benefit from an 18 month period, with the Association of Children’s Hospices ran July 2007 to December 2008 and WellChild starting from January 2009 until July 2010.

Sport England

Sport England invests National Lottery and Exchequer funding in organisations and projects that will grow and sustain participation in grassroots sport and create opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport.

Sport England is committed to creating a world-leading community sport system, and has set specific and measurable targets to achieve by 2012/13:
· One million people doing more sport
· A 25% reduction in the number of 16- to 18-year-olds who drop out of at least five key sports
· Improved talent development systems in at least 25 sports
· A measurable increase in people’s satisfaction with their experience of sport
· A major contribution to the delivery of the five hour sports offer for children and young people.