Objectives and Activities
The Foundation was formed in 2018, consolidating some of the already established Community programmes at Sutton United Football Club to ensure that further activities could be provided to the Community through a shared passion, vision and expertise.
Our main objective continues to aim to provide public benefit to the Community (Sutton and its adjoining boroughs) through Community participation in healthy recreational activities.
To achieve this objective, we continue our focus on providing the necessary facilities and support, primarily centred at Sutton United FC, but also by direct engagement with the Community where they live.
The Foundation has always strived to provide a safe and secure environment and we continue to ensure we have an open policy on participation.
There are no barriers to entry by reason of age, ethnicity, gender or ability, nor are the local community prevented from joining due to difficult financial or social circumstances; everyone is welcome to come along and be part of their Community and hopefully improve their wellbeing.
In their ongoing operation of the Foundation the Trustees continue to have regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit and are committed to ensuring this is upheld.
Read our Vision, Mission and Values statement here
Charitable Objectives
Objects for the public benefit of people of all ages, ethnicity, gender and ability living in Sutton and adjoining boroughs, the CIO’s objects are as follows:-
a) to promote community participation in healthy recreation by providing facilities for the playing of association football and other sports capable of improving health (‘facilities’ in this sub-clause meaning land, buildings, equipment and organising sporting activities).
b) to provide and assist in providing facilities for sport, recreation or other leisure time occupation of such persons who have need for such facilities by reason of their age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship, poverty or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving their conditions of life.
c) to advance the education of children, young people and the public at large by the provision or assistance in the provision of educational programmes, courses and facilities.
Achievements and Performance
Read our Trustees’ Report here.
Safeguarding
Read our Safeguarding Policy here.
Structure, Governance and Management
The Foundation, which is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, is based on the objectives contained in our Constitution and on the people involved, their passion, willingness, knowledge and expertise.
We are governed by a group of trustees (maximum 10). All trustees are vetted prior to appointment and new trustees are elected at regular meetings of the Foundation. The current list can be found on the Charity Commission website, those in office at the time of writing being:
- Phil Hedger – Chairman
- Lee Daley – Treasurer
- Russell Boots-Taylor
- Sophie Sargeant
- Kaylisha Archer
- Micky Joyce
- Martin Copus
- Paul Shiu
- Steve Hyde
- Trish Fivey
The Foundation currently has two staff members:
Head of the Foundation – Bobby Childs
Community Coach – Harry Dunne
We also have a large number of Volunteers who help us on a day to day basis with the various community programmes – without their help and dedication a lot of our work would simply not happen.
Funding & Accounts
Part funded by the EFL Trust and PFA
Overview and account return information can be found HERE and our safeguarding policy can be found here.
Get Involved
We welcome everyone who would like to be involved and appreciate any ideas for fundraising and opportunities to work with other sectors of the Community. If you have any ideas, please get in touch with us at foundation@suttonunited.net
Girls Football
Sutton United Girls run teams from U10 to U16, and form part of the Sutton United Youth and Community Foundation.
We specifically focus on developing players to be prepared for the rigors and skill sets involved in the Women’s game, and therefore our aim is continuous development rather than winning, although the development model has been successful in delivering league and cup successes across the years.
We offer a real pathway in to the Sutton United Women’s teams, with 12 players graduating from Sutton United Girls age groups to the Sutton United Women in 2022/23 alone.
We have also developed players who have furthered their playing careers by signing for professional academy teams, including Chelsea, Southampton, Brighton, Charlton and Millwall.
All of our coaches are volunteers, with the majority also professionals from the footballing industry, with ranges of qualifications from FA Cat 1 to UEFA B, as well as DBS checked, Emergency First Aid and Safeguarding trained.
We hold annual trials in May for players keen to join a club with a real pathway.
Sutton Utd Foundation Girls Development – Ages 5-11
Are you looking for a fun way for girls 5-11 to get involved with football? Then look no further! Sutton United’s Foundation Girls’ Development squad is the place to be, everyone is super awesome; from the friends you’ll meet to the FA qualified coaches and volunteers who deliver the sessions.
It’s non-competitive football for girls who want to give it a go for the very first time or want to play with other girls their own age. Most importantly, it’s all about having loads of fun and meeting new amazing friends.
Hosted at GOALs soccer centre in Cheam every Monday during Term time 17:15-18:15pm – Open to girls aged 5-11.
Walking Football
We continue to provide a twice-weekly session on Wednesday mornings at Goals Soccer Centre in North Cheam. The session is for both men and women.
With an established group of over 30 men taking part, with all ages over 55 being represented up to and including those in their 80’s, strong bonds and friendships have been made, as well as the obvious health benefits being achieved through participation.
Almost all the players said they thought their personal fitness had improved since attending the sessions and all stated that their general health and social interaction continues to improve.
In general, the sessions have greatly improved their fitness, made them happier in their retirement and helped them remember how much they enjoyed playing football when they were younger.
We are always looking to grow this activity further and ideally we would like to increase the number of participants to around 60.
We have also considered opening up walking football exclusively for women, should there be an interest in forming such groups within the community.
Contact foundation@suttonunited.net for further details.
Pan-disability Football
This continues to be any area where there is huge interest and under the inspiring leadership of Steve King, we now have four teams who train weekly on Saturday mornings with varying levels of learning disabilities and mild physical disabilities.
There are currently over 40 players participating, with regular games and tournaments for all teams.
Our teams participate across three newly formed Friendship leagues.
The overwhelming majority of participants stated that their personal fitness has improved since they started playing, as has their self-esteem, confidence, general health and social interaction.
We have four volunteers who help run this programme, one of whom works as our Special Educational Needs Schools Liaison officer, with a remit to forge relationships with schools in the borough and encourage pupils to come and play at Sutton United.
There had been a full programme in place from September 2019 until the end of February 2020 when, as with most sporting leagues and tournaments, these were curtailed due to Coronavirus.
During this short season the section continued to develop, with the teams being joined by an England CP (Cerebral Palsy) international who lives in the borough and who joined to improve his career.
On the pitch the teams continued to flourish and, following the leagues’ curtailments in March, our Disability first team were jointly awarded the league title with Woking and our Ganders team won the league 2 title, with both teams also being awarded the Respect Award by the league for the second year running.
Despite the abrupt halt to the season the teams continued through lockdown to look at ways of staying engaged and maintaining their health, culminating in an ‘Online Fixture’ in June 2020 against Fulham. In an evening enjoyed by all, both teams competed in a series of online challenges including a quiz and, with the game tied at 35 each, Fulham were declared the victors on a tie-break.
The section continues to inspire and engage and remain a flag bearer for Pan-Disability Football and inclusion.
The success that this area of community participation creates was recognised by Surrey FA with Steve King and his section being awarded both the Grassroots Project of the Year and Grassroots Adult Coach of the Year.
Steve was quoted as saying, “A big thank you to the Sutton United Youth & Community Foundation for the amazing support they have given the disability section.”
We have always been very proud of the work that has been done by Steve, his coaches and the players to establish the Pan-Disability section as one of the most admired set-ups in the south of England and we are delighted that Steve himself was honoured with the much-deserved accolade of Coach of the Year for all the passion and effort he freely gives.
Special Needs Schools Outreach Programme
We continued to provide a Special Needs Schools Outreach Programme for the Carew Manor Academy in Wallington.
These enrichment sessions carried on at the school on Thursdays throughout the academic year, with currently 12 boys and 2 girls attending.
The sessions are not solely devoted to football and the children can choose from a variety of activities offered, though most choose football as that seems to resonate best with them.
The participants have found that the sessions, well delivered and organised, have improved their self-esteem, confidence, social interaction and, above all, their fitness.
Our plans to expand this offering to other Special Needs Schools in the Community are still being looked at, with the hope that ultimately we would be able to develop a Children’s Disability squad with a view to linking younger members of the Community with our successful Pan-Disability offering. The programme was temporarily halted in March in line with the Government’s recommendations, restarting in September 2020.
