Free for boys and girls aged 8 and over, Kicks is designed to inspire marginalised young people and help them reach their full potential
Are you looking for an opportunity for your children and teens to get active? The chance for them to kick a ball around and play with like-minded peers? Get them down to Kicks.
Young people in Greenwich are invited to join in the new football programme at Kidbrooke Village, which is Premier League-backed.
To launch the new youth sports programme in August, Berkeley worked with local partners to deliver a day of free activities at Kidbrooke Village’s flexible sports facility.
The sports day saw young people get involved in free sessions from Pure Gym and Kent Cricket, as well as visit wellbeing stalls on nutrition, sleep, self-care, and more – plus local teens had the chance to get involved in sessions from Charlton Athletic Community Trust.
Charlton Athletic Community Trust is funded by the Premier League to deliver Kicks, a community sports programme designed to inspire marginalised young people and help them reach their full potential.
Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling are among the many footballers to have supported the scheme.
Kicks sessions are available to local teens (aged 8-18) every Monday between 5pm and 7pm at Kidbrooke Village, alongside regular mentoring and employability workshops for young people at Kidbrooke Community Hub.
Berkeley has recently refurbished the multi-use games area at Kidbrooke Village, and has a new system in place to ensure that at least one court is freely available for walk-ins every day, while others can be booked. It is a multi-use space, used for a wide range of sports for all ages, including tennis, 5-a-side, netball and cricket.
The games area lies at the entrance to the 20-acre Cator Park, which Berkeley designed in partnership with The London Wildlife Trust. Together, these two community facilities provide opportunities for local people to get outside and be active.
Paul Prichard, development director at Berkeley, said: “We are really pleased to be able to host Kicks here every week. We’ve been working closely with the Royal Borough of Greenwich and partners in the community to make sure that local people feel the benefits of regeneration at Kidbrooke Village.”
He adds that events like the sports day “are a great reminder for everyone of all the fantastic public facilities available to enjoy, right on their doorstep”.
Anthony Quarm, Charlton Athletic Community Trust diversionary and mentoring manager, said: “The partnership between Charlton Athletic Community Trust and Berkeley will provide young individuals with continued access to high-quality local venues and resources that might otherwise be inaccessible.
“Together we’re enabling consistent sports provision, outreach and mentoring programmes while reducing barriers to participation for young people. This means we can enhance our impact, continue promoting healthier lifestyles and support social cohesion and community wellbeing.”
Kidbrooke Village, Greenwich, SE3 9FW
www.kidbrookevillagelondon.co.uk
Images: Cate Castleton Photography
