Young individuals hailing from the Bradford East vicinity recently participated in a football camp, facilitated by the financial support of the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s Safer Communities Fund. Collaborating closely with the Bradford City Football Club Community Foundation, the Early Action team at Bradford Police orchestrated a comprehensive week-long football camp held at the Idle Cricket Club.
The initiative was made possible by the allocation of funds from the Mayor’s Safer Community Fund to the local neighbourhood policing unit in the Bradford East area. This decision followed a series of incidents involving youthful members of the community engaging in anti-social behaviour.
The primary objective of the football camp was to involve young participants in sporting endeavours, fostering the development of social skills and teamwork capabilities. The event garnered the participation of 150 youngsters between the ages of 11 and 16, all of whom were actively engaged in the week-long camp.
In a noteworthy show of support, Bradford City Football Club players Harry Lewis and Heath Richardson were present throughout the camp, alongside representatives from the ‘HMP-NOT-4-ME’ charity. This collaboration collectively aimed to create a positive and impactful experience for the youth involved.
Superintendent Gareth Crossley of Bradford District Police said; “It’s great to see young children being given an opportunity to take part in this football camp.
“I hope by introducing sport in their lives it will improve their fitness and mental and physical well-being but also give them a sense of ownership and belonging in their community.
“Bradford District Police is proud to support young people in the area and hopes that camps like this will give young people opportunities that they didn’t have before.
“I would like to thank the Bradford City Community Foundation and the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund for supporting this project.”
West Yorkshire’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Alison Lowe OBE, said; “We know that sport can be a powerful tool to bring people and communities together.
“I’m delighted to see money taken from the hands of criminals being used in such a positive way, teaching young people new skills, and offering them new opportunities.
“We want our young people to grow up in a safer, fairer West Yorkshire, and we are committed to working with our communities to make this a reality.”
Ian Ormondroyd, CEO, Bradford City FC Community Foundation; “We have been delighted with the interest and turnout at the camp at Idle. Establishing and developing our relationship with Bradford Police and HMP-NOT-4-ME continues to be a great benefit to the Foundation’s work and aims. The Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund has been instrumental in the devising and actioning of a great week of football, teamwork and education for young people in our community. We hope to run the camp again next year.”
