Smith: It's good to talk to local school kids about the Fleet

Following the success of last season’s Football in the Community(FITC) scheme, Gravesend & Northfleet are preparing to launch another major FITC campaign with local schools.

Last season, players from the Fleet’s first team squad visited 25 local primary schools, speaking to over 5,000 children, and providing free coaching sessions to those schools.

Over 950 children participated in these coaching sessions. In conjunction with these visits, the club distributed 4,700 free tickets for Nationwide Conference matches to pupils within the borough of Gravesham, and of these tickets, 967 pupils attended first team fixtures as guests of Gravesend & Northfleet.

As well as fun coaching sessions for primary school pupils, the initiative hopes to take first team players into secondary schools, and work with teachers on PSHE lessons, discussing issues such as healthy eating, and fitness.

Gravesend & Northfleet will still be offering tickets to all of their Nationwide Conference home fixtures, and a chance to enter into their prize draw, with fantastic prizes up for grabs each and every game throughout the remainder of the season.

Again, the Fleet’s popular defender Ross Smith will be spearheading the drive on the playing side, but the whole squad, already enthusiastic after last season’s successful community drive, are eager to get involved.

On the subject of the new campaign, Smith explained to www.gnfc.co.uk : “Last season’s initiative was so successful that everyone is keen to be involved and be part of the new ideas we’re implementing.

“It doesn’t just benefit the club with increased crowds for home games, you can see the benefits for the kids too.

“They look up to these guys, especially the likes of Charlie MacDonald, and to be able to take them in to the schools, and give the pupils the chance to meet them, is great.

“The fact that we’re going into secondary schools as well is excellent. It will give the older kids a chance to improve their football skills, and we can give them a few pointers on the way they play”.

Chairman Jason Botley added: “We were extremely pleased with last season’s results, and they clearly demonstrate the progress that we are making with the local schools.

“With the club being full time professional, we now have the ambition to make the community scheme bigger and better than last season.”

Liam Daish’s side, unbeaten in nine games, travel to Weymouth on Wednesday night, before welcoming Cambridge United to Stonebridge Road on Saturday.

Visit Gravesend & Northfleet’s website: www.gnfc.co.uk