Dads from the Bognor area got the chance to try out their soccer skills with former Premier League star Robbie Blake when they took part in a free football and child event at Nyewood Lane.
The dads and their children joined Rocks coach Blake -- along with fitness coach Neil Cockroft and keeper coach Wes Hallett -- to enjoy the training session as part of the ‘Even Superheroes Need A Dad’ campaign run by Aspire Sussex’s ‘All About Me’ project.
It was aimed at bringing confidence back to dads who are out of work and who want to make steps towards employment or learning. Commenting on the session, which took place at the club's on-site Robins Row Training Centre, Blake said: "It was great to get out there and be part of this fantastic community effort. We had a lot of fun and laughter and hopefully this will help with what is a great initiative."
Tesco Superstore in Bognor Regis contributed to this community event by providing a range of healthy snacks, drinks, and lunch for those attending, who also enjoyed a tour of the stadium and changing rooms, and to top this day off, the attendees were invited as VIP guests of the club to watch the Rocks match against Hornchurch, which ended in a 2-1 win for the visitors.
Rocks general manager Simon Cook said the club were proud to be associated with the activity and hoped to continue to support the community wherever possible. The club also welcomed homeless charity Stonepillow to the match to raise awareness and funds for the cause.
Simon said: "Once again our desire to be part of the community and to help where we can was evident on Saturday. It was great to see so many smiling faces and witness so much goodwill from our staff, volunteers and supporters. We look forward to being as supportive as we can going forward."
The campaign by Aspire Sussex ‘All About Me’ project came in response to the feedback gained from the dad and child rock climbing event held in the summer at the Arena Sports Centre, Bognor Regis. This reinforced the evidence that unemployed dads are less likely to reach out and connect with organisations who offer employment support through traditional routes. The team’s innovative approach to deliver shared experience events provides ways to engage this hard to reach group and support them to develop their skills and employment opportunities.
*The ‘All About Me’ project is funded by the European Social Fund and the National Lottery Community Fund. They have been running since 2018 and are proud to offer a person-centred approach to all individuals, who are long term unemployed, that can enable them to overcome barriers that prevent them from moving forwards.
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