THE Central Park Community Trust is helping make a difference to the lives for hundreds of people throughout the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area.
In their annual report, just released, it was stressed how Trust activities, helps toddlers at one end of the age group span, up to senior citizens.
As a registered charity, based in Cowdenbeath, and covering the local community, the aim of the Trust, set up in 2021, is to make football and general physical activity accessible to all.
“This is achieved through breaking down barriers, and promoting physical, social and educational benefits from football and sport”, trust chairman, Brian Lumsden, said this week, “Our football philosophy is fun and enjoyment”.
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“By implementing this into our sessions we ensure participants, no matter their age or ability, develop, learn and want to come back, using football to change lives”.
He recalled how throughout the year, The Central Park Community Trust, has worked alongside many different groups, organisations and companies in Cowdenbeath, Fife, Scotland and UK, and he stressed that without their support they would not be able to deliver many of their programmes and projects.
Throughout the year, they have delivered a variety of football-based sessions, programmes and projects, covering the community from, Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly, Benarty and Cardenden.
These are Tots Kickers, Mini Kickers, P1-3 Football, P4-7 Football, Girls Only, School Extra-Curricular Sessions, Learning Through Football, School of Football, Women’s Recreational, Walking Football, Friday 5s, Additional Support Needs Football, and School Holiday Provision. Over 50 weeks, they have delivered over 2000 individual sessions in the past year.
Tots Kickers, for instance, is an adult and child participation session, for youngsters aged 18 months to 3 years-old. Mini Kickers is for youngsters aged 3 - 5 years old, and both these sessions are a great way to get youngsters active and kick-start their enjoyment for football, using fun games, and various equipment to improve co-ordination, mobility and social skills, while kicking, throwing, and catching a ball.
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Mr Lumsden added: “Our recreational football sessions are split P1-3 and P4-7, and run boys and girls only sessions. These sessions are open to all abilities and fantastic for those starting out in football, looking to enjoy the game away from a team, or looking for extra weekly sessions.
“Also working in partnership with Active Fife - Football Development, and Fife Active Schools, we deliver school sessions. These sessions can be before school, during lunch or after school. At the end of school terms we help co-ordinate and deliver school cluster festivals.”
Another initiative the Trust have developed is the School of Football and Learning Through Football. These projects have an educational theme. Showing that sports can have a physical and educational benefit to them. Each session relates football to school and home life, looking at teamwork, resilience, respect, sportsmanship and other school values, through classroom and activity sections.
Meanwhile Adult Football Sessions see fun recreational events used for physical and social benefits.
The Trust has also linked up with previously known “Blue Brazil Boys Club” now known as Blue Brazil Football Club, to create a full pathway for local boys and girls.
Added Mr Lumsden: “We co-ordinate the Girls Section of the club and regularly deliver sessions to the boys’ teams.
“When the schools are off, we host football camps and also football and multi sports camps. These provide physical and social activity for local youngsters. Again camps are fun based and open to all ability. Sessions are reasonably priced, and we also have protected spaces for families where cost is a barrier. Our camps are held like a school day from 9am - 3pm and split age appropriately.
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“And as far as coach recruitment is concerned we create opportunities for everyone, whether playing football or being involved in it. We work closely with Beath and Lochgelly High Schools and Fife College to give volunteering opportunities with potential casual work.”
Brian Lumsden concluded: “Since establishing the Trust in April 2021, from a standing start, post Covid, the Trust has gone from strength to strength and grown to provide the services illustrated in the report.
“We were particularly proud to have been awarded ‘Best Community Football for All Project 2023’ by the Scottish Football Association East Region and we are indebted to our Community Development Manager, Dean Ewing, and our coaches for the drive and determination to achieve the results we have in this annual report.
“But I stress none of this could be done without the help and support of our many partners who help us to provide our services for the men, women and children of the Cowdenbeath area.
“Our heartfelt thanks go to these partners, but we are always looking to do more and any contribution, no matter how small is gratefully received”.
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