We are delighted on becoming the first football club in the UK to become a Compassionate Organisation, as certified by Compassionate Communities UK, celebrating our work in compassion.
We will receive our Compassionate Organisation Award before our match with Bodmin Town on Good Friday.
The award will be presented by Compassionate Communities UK director Julian Abel, for the Club’s pioneering work in reducing social isolation and increasing wellbeing in the local community.
Club Chaplain Simon Betteridge, who has helped spearhead the work said the Club community were delighted at the news of the award, which recognises a range of programmes the club has implemented.
“Wadebridge Town AFC sits at the heart of the community, like so many community clubs and every week we welcome hundreds of local families to the club for games and training,” Simon said.
“As a club, we decided we wanted to build on that sense of community to become somewhere where people can come to connect with other people, to improve their wellbeing and to find support if they need it.
“In recent years, families in the community have been impacted by issues including dementia, domestic violence, poor mental health, death and grieving and many other challenges.
“The support people have offered each other has been a really powerful expression of community and I’m delighted the award recognises our work.”
The club is in the process of building an ambitious programme of community based activity and volunteering, under the Community Bridgers banner, including:
- A Community Café, Warm Space and community meals
- Training for organisations around listening skills and bereavement support, as well as enhanced support when there is a death in a community
- A Community Garden, where people can come together for social connection, physical activity and to improve their wellbeing
- Women’s empowerment programme to build the confidence and skills of the club’s growing female teams
Club Chairman Steve Cudmore said the plans, which also include developing the club’s community spaces at the ground, would be delivered working in partnership with local businesses, the Town Council and the local community.
“This award is a celebration of the work we have done so far to make Wadebridge Town AFC a truly compassionate club, but it’s just the start of our plans,” Steve said.
“We know that the club sits at the heart of the community and we want to make sure the people in our club and the wider community live well.
“The Community Bridgers programme has been developed working with local people to address some of the challenges in the area, whether that’s high levels of social isolation, poor mental and physical health or poor diet.
“Everyone at the club is incredibly proud to be leading the way with this programme and to be the first club to be recognised as a Compassionate Organisation is amazing.”
CCUK director Julian Abel said the work the club has been doing is both valuable and essential.
“Wadebridge Twon AFC has three ambitious aims of giving a voice when people need to be heard, bringing people together and growing relationships and enabling people to flourish within a resilient and inclusive community,” he said.
“Their work as a club demonstrates how ground up support can influence whole communities and I’m delighted to be presenting the award and working with the club team in the future.”
