Queens award for voluntary services

Swansea City Bravehearts

Disabled Football Club

unsung heroes

Swansea City Bravehearts is a special needs football club for boys and girls with ages mainly ranging from 8 to 27 (we do have a few players in their 40’s). All our players have either a physical or learning disability and have joined our club through a referral from social services or by word of mouth.  Since the club was formed in September 2000 our numbers have increased and we now have around 90 members.

Disabled children can’t just go out to play like other children; they need a safe environment where they can mix with their peers. Bravehearts provides an opportunity for children with disabilities to play and feel part of a team which strives to develop their confidence and self- esteem.  As well as our weekly training sessions we also travel away to play matches and tournaments against other special needs teams who then travel to play us in Swansea.  Our aim is to give all the youngsters in the club the opportunity to play football, whatever their abilities.

 

We have also been proactive in finding opportunities for some of our players to compete at a higher level.  Six of our players have played for South Wales, one of which went on to play for the Wales Disability team against England and Norway.  For several years the club has had players selected to play for the British Mencap team in a 17 country tournament held in Switzerland. The Mencap team has won the tournament a few times and our players have collected the Cup.  We are very proud of all their achievements.  

 

The club is not only about football.  We feel that we need to support our families as a whole.  The weekly training sessions also act like a self-help group for the parents and carers, where they can swap information and provide support for each other.  It can be difficult to have a social life when you have a disabled child.  We have an Awards Evening in the summer when all our members are presented with a trophy, a Christmas party when Santa gives out presents and other social events through the year when possible.  We also organise a long weekend at Kiln Park Holiday Park, Tenby every September.

 

We hold a Football Festival in the summer when disability teams from all over Wales come to have a good time and play football.

Swansea City Bravehearts Disabled Football Club is run by a group of volunteers who are dedicated to the club and its members.  The club is affiliated to the West Wales Football Association.

QUEEN’S ‘THANK YOU’ FOR UK’S UNSUNG HEROES

 

We are very proud that the volunteers who run the Swansea City Bravehearts were chosen as one of the winners of the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.  The Award is only given to those groups where volunteers are judged to have regularly devoted their time to providing an outstanding level of help to other people.

Our head coach and chairman won the ‘Coach of the Year’ award at the Swansea Sports Awards and he was featured on the Paul O’Grady Show on channel 4 in acknowledgement of all his work with the Bravehearts.

The club treasurer/junior head coach was introduced to the Queen and Prince Philip during his lunch invitation for his dedication as a volunteer with the Swansea Bravehearts.

 

We are always looking for sponsors, without sponsorship we would not be able to do as much for the youngsters.  

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