A team of five members from the Liverpool FC Community Coaching team is in Malta to conduct coaching sessions under a programme which is aimed to generate awareness about drugs, racism, alcohol, crime and abuse.
The coaches are specialised in coaching disabled kids as well as those visually impaired. Part of their role is also to visit schools providing lectures to kids in a programme named “Truth for Truth”.
The team consists of Bill Bygroves, head of the Community Coaching team, Mark Chester, Family Officer, Eddy Sullivan, responsible for Kicks, John Shaw, responsible for coaching the Disabled and Frank Skelly, who is the Liverpool Supporters Club (Malta) ambassador in Liverpool.
Addressing a news conference yesterday at The George Hotel in Paceville, Mr Bygroves said they were delighted to be here. He thanked the Liverpool Supporters Club (Malta) for their hospitality and said they will be trying to make people realise that they ‘never walk alone’.
He said the Community team works hard not only in Liverpool, but also around the world, although this was the first time they are holding this project in Malta.
Bygroves said the team had been set up around 12 years ago. He said: “Nowadays all Premier clubs in England have such teams, holding similar activities, though, perhaps, involved in other aspects of community work. We cater for all persons, children, youths, adults and those with special needs as well. We just want to give these people an opportunity to play football.
“It took 18 months to see this project in Malta materialise. It will not be just a training camp. It is all about helping people. It is our wish to see everyone being able to enjoy the game of football,” he added.
He thanked the management of The George Hotel, Mosta FC and De la Rue Co. Ltd.
Charles Farrugia, the local supporters club chairman, said it was not easy to get such a project to Malta. “We had the Academy here three times, but we hope to give the Maltese children something more now,” he said.
James Vella, club secretary, said the programme started on Monday with a coaching session for 60 children. Yesterday, they were at Mgarr for a session for children with special needs. Today they will be visiting St Paul’s Missionary College in Rabat providing a session on Disability Awareness – how a blind person feels when playing football or playing with head phones. Tomorrow, they will be at St Benedict’s Primary School in Birzebbuga.
They will also be visiting the Liverpool Supporters Club tomorrow evening and then travel to Gozo on Friday where they will hold a session for a group of children. They will also meet the sister island’s club committee in the afternoon before returning to Malta.