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PRINCES TRUST TEAM NORTHAMPTON 36

As these notes are compiled, 17 young people from Northampton are reaching the end of their 12 week Prince’s Trust TEAM Programme – delivered by Tresham College of Further & Higher Education -  and once again it’s been another huge success! So much has been achieved by these incredible young people, that there isn’t room to record it all in this article!

This Team commenced on January 17th and after just 5 days they were off to Bakewell in Derbyshire for a team building week packed with outdoor pursuits. When they returned tired but exhilarated, they commenced planning a community project at Fairfields School in Northampton. Not content with just one project, this team actually did three and before they started work they raised an incredible £1500.
First they repaired and replaced fencing around the school and then painted the fencing in attractive colours. They then prepared, sanded and painted handrails throughout the school for the children. The colours chosen were red, blue and green really bright so that children with sight difficulties would be able to use them with confidence.
If this wasn’t enough they displayed a ‘healthy eating message’ in the school canteen. They did this with the cunning use of cartoon characters: Two examples:
On one display is ‘Minnie Mouse’ holding a lump of cheese with the words ‘Cheese is my favourite food what’s yours?’
Another one featured Bugs Bunny eating a carrot, with the words ‘What’s up Doc?’ with Bugs saying ‘Nothing! I EAT up my vegetables!’
Simple messages but so important for children to take note of.

For their Challenge, the Team took adults with severe learning difficulties to the 10 Pin Bowling Alley. They didn’t just do it, they planned and organised everything to ensure that the event was a huge success. This was in addition to spending a week with Vitalise in Chigwell down in Essex helping adults with physical disabilities. The Team enjoyed the week taking the guests to The London Eye, Museums and Theatres. For some of the young people this was the first time they had been to London let alone enjoy the thrills of ‘London Week’.

As well as all this each young person has done a 2 week work placement; let’s hope that in these difficult times young people will be successful in getting jobs as a result.

The Prince’s Trust is indebted once again to the Football Club for all the help and encouragement particularly from Darren Norton (Assistant Community Scheme Manager) who is tireless in his enthusiasm and Jean Limpitlaw and her staff from the Cobblers Study Centre who work so hard to encourage the young people to complete their folders.

The programme concludes on Thursday April 7th with a presentation event at Sixfields attended by Cobblers players who will present certificates to the team members.

The Cobblers are one of more than 60 professional clubs across the country that supports the work of The Prince’s Trust through a long-term partnership with the Premier League, PFA and Football Foundation which will help around 2,000 young people this year alone. During the programme Team 36 visited Sixfields for a tour of the stadium, a coaching session and healthy lifestyles workshop. 


Further information about The Prince’s Trust is available at www.princes-trust.org.uk or on 0800 842 842. The next Princes Trust Team programme in Northampton starts on Tuesday May 3rd. For more information contact Paul Hamblin on 07717 227503.

Posted on 21/03/2011 by NTFC FitC


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