A visit to Stoke City
As part of our report, we were lucky enough to visit Stoke City F.C. and
interview Rich Adams, a member of the community team at the club and ask
him about the role Stoke City play in North Staffordshire.
Kyra, Rich, Max, Harry and Joe working hard on their interviewing skills.
What projects have Stoke City been involved in and what have they done to
contribute?
“There is something called the Stoke City Community Trust which is also
registered as a charity and we are based in our own office just opposite the
stadium. We deliver a lot of projects all over north Staffordshire, not just
Stoke-on Trent. We cover as far north as Alsager, then we go all the way up to
Leek and out of Stafford and the Market Drayton. Our catchment area is about
15 and 20 miles north, south, east and west in terms of distance from the club.
Our work is split up into different sections, for example, we obviously focus on
sports participation, which is getting older children and adults involved in our
community. And that’s not just football that we focus on. Our work can range
from anything from football to cricket, which includes lots of different activities
trying to get loads of different people involved in the community. For example
we have something called ‘Cook and Eat’ sessions, in which we get different
players into Primary Schools to raise their confidence. Also, we work to help
single mothers get their kids involved of lots of different activities to help them
enjoy their childhood. Not only is there a health element within our sports
participation, but there is also a social part, which helps them interact with
other people. Importantly, our education-enterprise work helps to introduce
them into the world of work”.
How do the different people who work for Stoke, from the players to the
business and ground staff get involved in supporting the community?
“There are loads of different clubs and community workshops and activities
such as City 7s and the sports like football and table tennis and loads of other
different varieties of things to do from the age 8 up to 50 .
Players often get involved with events, so do a lot of visits to schools. Peter
Crouch and Geoff Cameron are always favourites, and Joe Allen got behind the
Big Sleep Out which took place a few months ago.
We have seen that the club has hosted the big sleep out which raised money
for a great cause, are there any upcoming projects that the club are looking
at beginning?
“There are some members of staff that are going to be cycling down to
Leicester City and back to raise money for the Macari Foundation which
supports people who don’t have homes and they can go stay there and have 3
meals a day which is good.
What is the clubs involvement with local schools?
“We are involved with a large number of primary and secondary schools across
the county. Stoke City go into different schools and run clubs like football and
cricket. If our staff feel like there is a young person with a lot of talent then
they will send them of into the next level to help them progress and move onto
being the best that they can.
There is a national foundation which is called Kick It Out which aims to get rid
of racism in the local schools and communities as well as sport. Jack Butland is
our Kick It Out ambassador and really gets behind this.
As well as this, we may be able to offer signed shirts or match tickets for
charity raffles.
Has Stoke City’s involvement in the community increased since the
promotion to the Premier League?
“Yes. Since we have joined the top English league we have had a lot of funding
from all the media that surrounds the Premiership. We gain money from the
Premier League Charitable Fund. Since the arrival all of the different players
from different countries, which bring greater media from across the world, as
well as funding, we have received larger funds to help out in North
Staffordshire. Although what we receive is a small percentage of funding, it is
actually a lot of money which is able to be put in to community work. The
money we receive allows for us to send people out in to the community.
Importantly, there is a 3 year cycle of funding, so that if we got relegated that
in 3 years we came back up and we would have to give the premier league 10%
of the founding that we had received from the other places that want to help
build up our team and club again. However, even if relegation was to occur,
we could still continue to support the local area for a year or so. A lot of
people see us just as a football club and don’t realise just how much we do in
the community.
Why do you think it is important that Stoke continues to play such an active
role in the local community?
“I think it’s massively important. Many people see the local football club as the
hub of the community, so it is important that we are able to help support
those who identify with us. As the club is seen as the centre point of the
community, we are seen as more than just a football club. With us using this
club as a vehicle to help people raise their fitness, for example, we can help to
generate a positive experience for those in the community. Hopefully, this
allows us to have a domino effect in the community, which allows us to
support a larger number of people”.
We are aware of the Macari Foundation in North Staffordshire, but are there
any players at the club who are particularly involved in the community/
charity work?
“There are different players involved in the charity work and the community
work. Jack Butland who is Stoke’s representative for the “Kick It Out” project
which is to kick out racism. Whenever there are Kick It Out events in schools,
we are often able to send Jack out to do work to raise awareness. Peter
Crouch is a very popular member of the squad who gets involved in events.
His career as a striker for England has raised his profile and means that he is in
demand for charity events. Geoff Cameron is another member of the squad
who gets involved in a lot of work. Due to him being American, English is his
first language, and there is a wow factor in him being a foreign player who
really wants to get involved.
As stoke are the largest football club in the area, we imagine that you must
get a lot of request to do bits of work, and we appreciate the help that you
are giving us for our report, but how difficult is it for a football club to
involved in the community work?
We like to try and support our local schools that we have got a relationship
with. In Stoke there are approximately 70 primary schools, that’s without
thinking about how many schools there are in Staffordshire in total, so it can
be difficult to please everyone. Over the course of a season, we try to help
with player appearances and tickets or signed balls and shirts. Interestingly, a
school in Egypt wanted us to send Ramadan over for a visit.
Does there have to be specific criteria for you to be involved, or do you try
and help as many people who contact you?
“This process can be very tough we look a lot at making good relationships
with different schools so that we can have a good connection and we can send
in some of our players and helpers to different activities like football to
support the community and make stoke like a massive part of it.
What do you think is the most effective project that Stoke are involved in
with?
“In general I personally think that Kicks is the most effective one because it
helps to support single parent families with free football sessions. Kicks is the
Premier League’s flagship project, and enables young people who may have
had difficulties in the past, to put their energies in to something positive.
Young people can volunteer to work with us as coaches. This often ends with
great success. For instance, one youngster was really able to turn himself
around following a successful volunteering placement with us, which then led
to employment.
There are also clubs like table tennis and cricket and football that can range
from the years 12-18 and that can help you people develop their skills and
move them onto the next stage for them so they enjoy it a lot!”
Now we couldn’t come here today without asking you about the game next
week against Chelsea. What are your predictions for the game?
“I think that the score is going to be 2-1 Stoke. I think Crouch and Arnie will
score for Stoke”.