CANVEY Island may have been without a firstteam fixture last weekend but they still found an opportunity for some game time with the club’s Soccability side.
Rebecca Harris MP was in attendance and applauded the Gulls’ outstanding community engagement work through Soccability, a programme which enables young disabled people across Castle Point to get involved in football.
The programme, which has been boosted by Pitching In’s Trident Community Foundation, has gone from strength to strength over the years and provides an outlet for young people throughout the area.
Harris said: “It is not just good for them physically, it’s also good for their mental health.
“The outreach this has beyond the club is huge for local young people. It’s quite a broad geographic area around here among young men and women.
“It’s something that adds real extra value in their lives, it’s that sense of involvement that really brings it alive as well and feeling part of something bigger.”
Individuals with all disabilities or impairments are encouraged to attend the sessions, regardless of their ability, and the team have the opportunity to play friendlies and Soccability tournaments against other local teams.
Gulls chairman John Batch, who has played and coached at all levels within the club, and former Football League player Tarkan Mustafa make the programme possible through their unwavering volunteering work.
The pair have nurtured the skills of many who have grown in confidence on and off the pitch and the programme continues to grow exponentially in membership.
Batch said: “Giving young people the chance to take part in football, something they like, but have not necessarily had the opportunity to get involved in, has been great.
“We’ve seen the differences made in all of their lives, not just as they’ve gradually gotten better at playing football, they’ve also become more confident as adults.
“I spoke to Tarkan, who’s been an ambassador for this for this scheme. He’s played for England non-league team, he’s played at Wembley three times, 200 league games in the Football League.
“To have someone with that experience and that knowledge to willingly to give their time as he does, it’s been a magnificent plus with this, mainly because the funding has enabled us to push it to other levels.”
As Canvey’s first team look to build on their play-off place last season, the club are also moving in the right direction off the pitch, opening up the game across Castle Point.
“It’s getting bigger and better,” Mustafa added. “We’ve attracted more and more players. I remember one of the players saying to me, “it’s the first time I realised that I need to get out and be a part of something’. It’s had a massive impact on their lives.”
Find volunteering opportunities at your local club by visiting https://pitchingin volunteers.co.uk/
