Earlier this month, Burnley Football Club and Burnley FC in the Community (BFCitC) launched the second season of their Academy in the Community initiative.
The programme is designed to expose Academy scholars to the various projects delivered by BFCitC, engaging with participants of all ages and backgrounds.
There are two main goals to the project – helping the youngsters gain a deeper understanding of Burnley as a town and encouraging them to positively engage with local community members.
The day began with an overview of the programme the charity’s Director of Football, Sport, and Education, Chris Andrews.
Burnley’s first-year scholars then had the chance to speak with different departments within the charity, learning about how it supports various people.
They also attended Burnley FC in the Community’s No Nay Never Forget Alzheimer’s session, where they learned to play dominoes and participated in a large game of bingo,
Here goalkeeper Connor Edwards and midfielder Fabio So took on the role of bingo callers for the first time!
Reflecting on the day, Edwards said: “It was really lovely to see how much Burnley Football Club means to people, young and old, around the area.
“Getting out in the community provides greater meaning to our jobs. The Club isn’t just about football; it’s so much more than that and it’s irreplaceable.
“I particularly enjoyed doing the bingo calling with Fabio at the Dementia Café – that was good.”
The players also visited Burnley FC in the Community’s Activity Camps, engaging in various games and activities with the youngsters.
Moving forward, the players will now choose one of the many community projects to regularly attend throughout the season.
This ongoing involvement aims to create more impactful memories for both the scholars and the charity’s participants.
Chanelle McManus, Sport Development Manager at BFCitC added: “We love having the scholars down at our activity camps.
“It makes the day even more exciting for the children, and with so many of them being huge Burnley fans, they really look forward to interacting with them.”
The programme’s expansion is expected to strengthen the bond between Burnley FC and the local community, showcasing the club’s commitment to making a positive difference beyond the football field. The partnership is set to grow, bringing even more benefits to everyone involved.
We look forward to seeing the continued success and development of this initiative!
