Bees Star Pays A Visit To Brentford Towers Estate |
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Championship striker backing grassroots community project
This Monday saw a visit from Brentford FC striker Ollie Watkins to take part in a community project on the Brentford Towers estate. The 23-year-old, who scored two goals against Derby County last weekend, joined more than fifty youngsters. With Brentford’s new stadium on the horizon, the Bees forward took part in a grassroots football session, which is run by the football club’s charity. The young people involved also took part in an exciting treasure hunt, which saw them search for signed Ollie Watkin’s medals within the estate. The event was part of celebrations for the International Day of Charity, which aims to highlight the benefits of social responsibility and increase the public’s support for charitable causes. Speaking about the project, Ollie Watkins said, “It’s nice to give back to the local community and see the smile on the children’s faces today. “In the age of social media, it is really important that professional footballers serve as important role models for young people; I hope by attending today’s project this is an example of this.” Established in 2010 in partnership with Hounslow Housing, Hounslow Street Sports aims to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce anti-social behaviour amongst young people. This year alone, the project says it has supported more than 1,000 young people across the borough. Eight-year-old Zac, who is also an avid Brentford fan, believes the project provides a safe space for young people to enjoy sport. He said, “I think it is amazing that every year Brentford FC come to this estate with a Brentford player; I really like the football sessions as it has been a great way of making friends and enjoying football.” With Brentford FC being one of the first football clubs to establish a community scheme back in the 1980s, its work on Brentford Towers estate spans more than thirty years. Most recently, the Trust is working on developing a new facility on the site in partnership with the Cruyff Foundation and Hounslow Housing.
September 5, 2019 |