Social Care Charity Kicks Off Partnership With Portsmouth F.C
National social care charity, Community Integrated Care, has announced a pioneering partnership with Pompey in the Community, the charitable arm of the League One team, Portsmouth Football Club.
Together, the two organisations are offering the people supported by the charity a chance to take part in weekly accessible sports sessions to improve their health and wellbeing.
The partnership was kicked off last week with colleagues and people supported by Community Integrated Care attending a behind the scenes stadium tour of Fratton Park. With many attendees being life-long Portsmouth fans and regulars at matches, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of the people supported by the charity, all of whom live with a range of different support needs.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be working in partnership with Pompey in the Community and Portsmouth F.C and are looking forward to this partnership thriving in the future.” says Martin McGuigan, Community Integrated Care’s Managing Director for the South.
He continued, “We’re proud to be an extremely person-centred organisation and with partnerships such as this one we can create a whole host of amazing opportunities and unforgettable moments for the people we support, such as today.”
In addition to the VIP experience, people supported will also have the chance to participate in the sessions will focus on sports, socialising, and sensory engagement. The sessions will take place at Fratton Community Centre and will provide participants an opportunity to create friendships with others in the community.
Clare Martin, Director of Community Projects for Pompey in the Community commented, “We are proud to have partnered with Community Integrated Care, it’s great to celebrate the fantastic work they do by coming together to create new opportunities for the people they support. It really is fantastic to kick-off the partnership with weekly sports sessions that are going to make a huge difference to the lives of the people they support – as always, we’re looking forward to bringing our lifelong Pompey fans even closer to the club and creating unforgettable memories for them to enjoy.”
Kristie Burberry, Regional Manager for Community Integrated Care for the South, who attended the VIP experience commented, “The tour today has been a huge success. We support a number of committed Portsmouth fans who were absolutely overwhelmed with being able to go into the changing rooms and sit next to their favourite player’s spot! We’re so excited for what this partnership will mean to the people we support in the future.”
