Calverley United Junior Football Club has come together over the difficult last year we’ve all faced and offered everyone involved support, encouragement and hope. They’ve worked hard to become a Community Charter Standard Club, achieved last year, and their acceptance as a new Wildcats Centre, helping further grow local girl’s access to football and fitness. The hard work behind the scenes often goes unnoticed but the Club does so many things, like as developing a Youth Committee to help inform the Club’s DNA, improving the whole experience for everyone involved.
The positive impact in the local community is truly phenomenal. They’ve grown the girls game from 5 girls, on a mixed team 4 years ago, to nearly 100 girls training and playing regularly, and their first ever girls’ team reached the West Riding Cup Final last year. Behind the scenes volunteers have worked really hard to help improve access to better pitches and facilities. During lockdown the club inspired over 180 players and coaches to contribute to the #PassTheBallNotTheVirus challenge, just one example that shows what an impressive, inclusive, and well-loved community club they are.
They’re a small village club which has doubled in size over the last 5 years, even though there are a lot of clubs nearby with huge catchment areas and all without an official clubhouse and limited use of pitches. It’s the volunteers that makes the club stand out, they really do inspire the children from the local community, and further afield, to be the best they can be. They’ve come together to raise money for community, school and sports defibrillators and they’ve worked so hard to ensure that each return to football following lockdown is as safe, and fun, as it possibly can be.
It was also double delight for the club to see that Luke Cooper had also won Coach of the Year for youth players. Congratulations to everyone at the club.
We have completed our Around (Through) the World challenge in flying colours, with a week to go and 500km over what we needed!
With JustGiving and cash totals, we have also raised a staggering £1649!
This will all go towards the David Cooper Memorial fund and in doing so, it will be there to purchase another defibrillator for a community, school or sports club as well go towards the upkeep of the 7 other defibrillators we have been a part of fundraising for.
The idea of the challenge was to also give players and their families that extra little motivation to get out and get moving in whatever way, which has been important more than ever during this third lockdown! And maybe a boost for some to go the extra mile than what they already do! And I really hope that it has helped to do just that.
I (Luke) just want to say the most massive well done and thank you to everyone who has got involved with the challenge and supported it by donating. You are all incredible.
Meeting Number (access code): 137 517 6675
Meeting password: snSriCXC683
Join meeting: https://brightcloud.webex.com/brightcloud/j.php?MTID=m3049da3f2bde6179d84a9f6244a6181b
As well as an opportunity for all members to have their say and discuss any matters important to them, an election for the following club committee roles will take place:
- Chairperson
- Vice Chairperson
- Club Secretary
- Treasurer
- Club Welfare Officer
- Lettings Officer
- Registration Officer
- Football Development Officer
- Website/Social Media/Press Officer
- Club Development Officer (x2)
- General Committee Member(s)
The format of the tournament this year will consist of 7x 7v7 teams made up of the player's parents and coaches. There will be most likely someone you know who is playing so please come down and support them, or regardless, just enjoy some good old competitive football whilst supporting an important community cause. All details can be found in the picture above.
All of the money raised from this year's tournament will go towards another defibrillator for somewhere in and around the community. All of the proceeds will go towards the defibrillator fund.
A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the raffle, raising vital funds for the club to put on its annual presentation day! Prizes are to be collected from the Calverley Conservative Club. Here are the winners:
1437 - Denis Birrane (MAIN PRIZE)
941 - Greg Wye
1392 - Jason Clough
1441 - Kev Halls
1179 - Martin Price
1284 - Lowery
1355 - Joanne Bowans
120 - Max Peel U6
591 - LBK U8 Girls
452 - Bobby U8s
525 - Joel G U8
573 - No Name
103 - Jack S U5
921 - Dave Beck
1309 - Yvonne H
1467 - Amelia Lockwood
450 - Seb U8
459 - Jacob U8
561 - U8 Girls Summer
437 - Freddie T U8s
1310 - Danny H
60 - Alfie K U5s
398 - Max A U7s
1450 - Dave H
457 - Jacob U8
472 - Zak U8
Thank you to Dylan Littlewood, who independently drew the raffle. If anyone has any questions about the raffle or about picking up their prize please contact CUJFCLuke@gmail.com.
A huge thank you to all of our age-groups who donated the raffle prizes, as well as parents from the U5s donating several bottles of spirits and beer, as well as Essence Massage for donating a sports massage voucher.
Luke said "As most will know, this June, it will be four years since I lost my Dad, to sudden cardiac arrest on a family holiday abroad. My Dad was a big supporter of the Calverley community and the local football club, chairing the junior section and running a team.
When my Dad suffered a heart attack, there was no defibrillator nearby and with being abroad, my Dad was not fortunate to get a fast response from an Ambulance either, as we would have here in England. My Dad was never diagnosed with a heart condition, despite the signals and going to the doctors for it. The point being, is that cardiac arrest can happen to anyone without any warning, even the young, fit and healthy. It has been recorded on average that 270 children die in the UK every year after suffering sudden cardiac arrest at school. Therefore, it is so important that schools, sports clubs and community groups have quick access to a defibrillator. A defibrillator is a device that gives a high energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest. If a defibrillator is used and effective CPR is performed within 3-5 minutes of cardiac arrest, their chance of survival increases from 6% to 74%. For every minute it takes for the defibrillator to reach someone and deliver a shock, their chances of survival reduce by up to 10%.
I am proud that me, my family and Calverley United Junior Football Club could raise the funds for what is now the 7th defibrillator we have been a part of attaining for in and around the community. Hopefully they never have to be used but it is assuring to know that they are in place. I hope that as well as this, that more people can be trained to carry out First Aid, CPR and use a defibrillator effectively. Thanks again to everyone who has supported me, my family and the football club in our fundraising efforts."
