PRESS RELEASE
FRIDAY 8TH JANUARY 2010
COLWYN BAY FITC SECURES SPORTS COUNCIL CASH INJECTION

A sponsorship deal from one of the UK’s leading retailers ‘The Co-operative’ has been matched by the Sports Council of Wales to ensure that Colwyn Bay Football Club’s newly launched football in the community programme (CBFITC) gets on track for future success.
CBFITC will invest the full amount of £15,000.00 received into the development of an ‘Inclusive’ football programme, which through a wide range of initiatives will cater for ‘ALL’ local needs and aspirations. More specifically, the ‘inclusive’ programme will encourage young people, particularly those with a disability and from disadvantaged backgrounds, to participate in football and other sports on a regular basis (weekly).

Initiatives that will be run in the New Year include:

• Under 11 and Under 13 Girls Fun Football Sessions
• Under 12 Pan Disability Sessions
• Under 12 Fun Football Sessions
• Parent and Child Football Learning Sessions; and
• Futsal Taster Sessions

To find out how you can get involved, and when and where the initiatives will take place please visit the CBFITC web pages at:
www.colwynbayfc.co.uk

Kelly Davies, CBFITC General Manager commented: “We are delighted that the Sports Council for Wales has supported our ‘inclusive’ programme and sports matched the sponsorship fee we so kindly received from our main community partner ‘The Cooperative’.

“Since its launch in September CBFITC has had an excellent start; building strong relationships with key partners and members of the local community. Running alongside the several social inclusion and educational programmes planned for the New Year, this project, will really enable us to ‘KICK’ on in 2010 and produce positive outcomes for the local community and the club itself”.

Sportsmatch Cymru is a Welsh Assembly Government business incentive scheme for sport in Wales, managed by the Sports Council for Wales. It is designed to encourage more business backing for grassroots sport by matching new or additional sponsorship ‘£ for £’. With the aim of giving business an incentive to support more grassroots sport, Sportsmatch Cymru can allocate awards of between £300 and £50,000.

Chair of the Sports Council for Wales, Philip Carling, said: “Businesses in Wales play a huge part in the sporting success of our nation and we can only continue to excel if we invest in tomorrow’s champions now.

“In return, sports sponsorship offers businesses the opportunity to achieve commercial marketing objectives by raising brand awareness and increasing customer loyalty. It also allows them to fulfil social responsibilities, which is fast becoming a key objective for all companies”.

The Cooperative is a multi-national company which provides a variety of services to the public, for example, financial & legal services, funeral care, food shopping, pharmacy etc… The Cooperative has local links within the Colwyn Bay area, and pride themselves on supporting local communities and inspiring young people to make positive contributions. 

David Messom, Director of Trading for Cooperative Food Retail commented:
“We are impressed and delighted at the way in which Colwyn Bay Football in the Community actively works within the local community. The Sports Council for Wales support for CBFITC, matching our own financial commitment, ensures greater opportunities for the young people of the area to become more involved in sport. “And the recognition of both the Sports Council and The Cooperative endorses the progress that Colwyn Bay Football Club and CBFITC are making on and off the pitch together”.

For further information, please contact:
CBFITC General Manager, Kelly Davies
Mob: +44 (0)7725 576 997
Email: Kelly@cbfitc.co.uk

Notes to Editors
Sports Council for Wales

• At its launch in 1992, the scheme was billed as one designed to double the benefits of sponsorship investment for grassroots sport in the community and to support the activities that will increase participation and raise standards at grassroot level – particularly among young people.

• The Sports Council for Wales is the national organisation responsible for developing both sport and physical recreation. It is the main adviser on sporting matters to the Welsh Assembly Government and is responsible for distributing funds from the National Lottery to sport and recreation in Wales.

Colwyn Bay FITC

• Colwyn Bay Football Club created the new community interest company ‘CBFITC’ on the 11th September (2009), in order to offer a more diverse and extensive outreach programme within the local area.

• CBFITC aims to promote all areas of football development and will use the motivational power of football and the inspirational setting of the football ground (Llanelian Road) to educate and promote positive lifestyle messages.