LOCAL FOOTBALL TEAM RECEIVES DOUBLE FUNDING BOOST THANKS TO THE ROYAL WARRANT HOLDERS’ ASSOCIATION & SHEPHERD NEAME

Local football club Faversham Strike Force, is celebrating starting the year with news that it has received funding totaling £4,000 for its teams from two organisations.

The club, which formed in 1999 and has since grown to have 40 teams, with some 600 members playing regularly, is to receive £3,000 from the Royal Warrant Holders’ Association.

And Faversham-based independent family brewer, Shepherd Neame, which is itself a member of the association, has given a further £1,000. 

The Royal Warrant Holders’ Association funding will go towards the club’s SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) sessions, with specialist training for coaches so they can learn different approaches and specialist knowledge of helping youngsters with complex needs.

And the funds from the local brewer will pay for a new kit for the Senior side for over 18s, which will feature Shepherd Neame’s well-known crook logo.  

The donations were secured by Shepherd Neame’s Brewhouse Operative Mike Juden, who also works with the club’s under 11s. He said: “This is wonderful news for the club. We weren’t able to offer stand-alone disability sessions prior to this season but with the hard work, dedication and passion of the coaches involved, alongside the Inclusive Sport coaches the group has grown in numbers and continues to afford children the opportunity to flourish.

“We can use the funding to educate our own coaches which will only enhance the learning opportunities of those involved.”

He added: “Myself and the club would love to extend our thanks to the Royal Warrant Holders Association, Shepherd Neame and especially Chief Executive Jonathan Neame for endorsing our application and for his support for this initiative, which included making a separate contribution on behalf of the company.”

Shepherd Neame Chief Executive Jonathan Neame said: “As the proud holder of a Royal Warrant for our Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy and flagship Spitfire Amber Ale, we are delighted to hear that the Royal Warrant Holders’ Association has provided this generous grant to one of our local clubs.

“We pride ourselves on being at the heart of our community, so we were delighted to join the RWHA in supporting this fantastic organisation, which does such great work for families in our town.”

The club’s SEND sessions, which started with just three members, have seen a spike in interest since the pandemic, when more and more parents got in touch for their children, who struggled to adapt to one of the mainstream sessions.

Up until now, the club had been paying for specialist coaches to come in and help with the sessions. But now the club’s own coaches will receive training which means they can operate smaller groups with a higher adult/child ratio.

The club is supported by an army of more than 150 volunteers, and besides its playing members, it runs additional programmes such as Walking Football, Mini Bolts for children in Reception and Year 1 at school and two turn-up and play sessions. 

New players are always welcomed at the club. To find out more visit www.favershamstrikeforce.co.uk.