Success is floodlit at the University of St Andrews

Sports staff and students at the University of St Andrews could win an award for helping local youngsters get active at weekends.

The Floodlit Football initiative has been running on Saturday evenings from 8-10pm at the University Sports Centre’s Astroturf since October.

Madras pupils of all ages pay just £1 to play, receive coaching and refereeing from the University’s Men’s Football Club.

Students from the Women’s Football Club are also due to join in to encourage more girls to take part.

After proving popular last term, the scheme is now into its second block with 47 youngsters attending each week.

The programme is a partnership between the Director of Football, Stuart Milne, Elise Methven and Lesley Pringle from Fife Council’s East Fife Detached Youth Work Team, the council’s Active Schools scheme, Fife Constabulary, Fife Fire and Rescue and the Scottish Football Association.

The aim was to provide young people in St Andrews, and the surrounding area, with a positive activity on Saturday evenings.

Feedback from those taking part has been extremely positive and good relationships have been built with students, local youngsters and the other groups involved in the project.

Now the scheme has been put forward for The Partnership Programme of the Year Award in Fife Council’s partnership awards.

Director of Football, Stuart Milne, who came up with the idea, after being inspired by similar schemes, said: “The floodlit football programme has been a major success so far.

“A lot of work has been put in by a team of partners to make this possible, none more so than Elise Methven and Lesley Pringle from the East Fife Detached Youth Work Team and without the contributions of all, the programme would not have been the success it has turned out to be.

“A big thank you must also go out to the University’s Men’s Football Club for their continued support with this through them giving up their time every Saturday to volunteer and help out.

“An important part of my remit as Director of Football is links with the local community and it is very nice to say that this programme has helped develop a number of strong relationships in the area, none more so than that of the student to youth one.

“In all I am delighted with the way the programme is evolving and look forward to seeing more participants enjoying and attending in the near future.”

Note to Editors

Over the course of the two blocks 72 young people have taken part in the floodlit football initiative. The first block ran from October to December last year and the current block finishes in April.

Issued by the Press Office, University of St Andrews
Contact Fiona MacLeod on 01334 462108/ 0771 414 0559.
Ref: (floodlit 31/03/12)
View the University’s latest news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/