City in the Community
City in the Community
The Manchester City story began in 1880 when the Connell family of St Mark’s Church in West Gorton decided to form a football team. By providing their community with the opportunity to play football, they hoped to reduce the number of those suffering from the effects of long-term unemployment, health issues and fear of crime as a result of social deprivation.
In 1986, in recognition of the Club’s continuing commitment to its communities, we were one of only 6 Clubs to be invited by the PFA to establish a Football in the Community scheme. The scheme today, now in its 26th year, employs almost 20% of Manchester City’s total workforce. This year alone, the City in the Community team will work with over 35,000 young people and their families.
We will be updating this section over Summer, so please return soon to find out more about the great work we're doing.
Our chosen charities for 2012/13
Manchester Charity
Action for Blind People – The Manchester Actionnaires Club
Action for Blind People forms part of The Royal National Institute for Blind People, the UK's leading sight loss charity that has been working to improve the lives of blind and partially sighted people in the UK since 1875.
Manchester Actionnaires club provides children in the Greater Manchester area with an opportunity that they would otherwise not get, to enjoy sport and recreation in a safe and supportive environment. The clubs help children develop confidence, their independence, social skills and aptitude, all of which will have a long term positive effect on their future development.
East Manchester Charity
The Factory Youth Zone delivers 40 hours a week of football and urban sports education for young people aged 8-21 years old in Harpurhey. The project provides recreational, coaching and developmental sessions and runs competitions across a wide range of activities, encouraging talented performers to join established local clubs.
It offers opportunities for young people to develop healthy and positive lifestyles through coaching programmes delivered in its sports hall and climbing wall, outdoor football pitch, boxing gym, dance studio and fitness suite. Supporting all of the project activities are twenty local volunteers recruited, trained and provided with a subsidy towards their coaching education.
Connell Awards
The Connell Awards programme recognises outstanding local community sports projects that seek to increase and sustain participation, or develop additional opportunities for young people within their chosen sport.
MCFC is absolutely committed to East Manchester and its supporters in the surrounding community. The Connell Awards also recognise the volunteers who give their time to ensure the clubs run so smoothly, year after year.
A grant of up to £5,000 to support urban sports clubs in the East Manchester community is available. Awards may be used for project-related expenses, e.g. materials, supplies, equipment, transportation.
Charitable memorabilia requests
MCFC continue to support the great work of selected local charities in innovative and creative ways. MCFC receive hundreds of requests for memorabilia and player appearances and from individuals wishing to perform charitable activities at the Etihad Stadium.
Please send your enquiries to charities@mcfc.co.uk . Manchester City FC requests that all memorabilia request letters must have a letter of authority from the recipient charity with a charity contact name and address supplied. The date of the event must be at least six weeks away from the receipt of the application.
