Following an incredibly difficult two years and amidst the ongoing cost of living crisis, The Falkirk Foundation teamed up with our partners Falkirk Football Club to give those that are struggling the opportunity to come to games this season for free through the Support our Bairns initiative.
Thanks to the generosity of the Falkirk fanbase, carers in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire and their families will have the opportunity to attend Falkirk games at The Falkirk Stadium this season. 50 tickets will be made available to Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre, who will distribute them through their Respitality programme, ahead of every home game to give the carers and cared for in our community a chance to experience a match day and support their team without having to worry about the cost as well as the opportunity to have a break.
Falkirk Football Club matched what was raised, doubling the number of tickets and thus doubling the impact of the project and with gift aid added at no additional cost to fans, we were able to reach more of our community.
There is still an opportunity to be part of this as we are still raising funds for this initiative and if anyone would like to donate they can do so here: Donate with PayPal Giving Fund
Thank you to everyone who kindly donated to this worthwhile cause.
Derek Allison, CEO of Falkirk Foundation, said:
“The Falkirk Foundation would like to thank Falkirk FC and all the supporters who donated to the initiative to make football at The Falkirk Stadium more accessible to those that might not be able to afford the day out. As a result of the funds raised we have partnered with the Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre to provide their service users with some respite and the opportunity to come to the Falkirk Stadium and experience all the thrills of being at a game. Many carers may find it difficult to cover the costs of attending a football match and this initiative may ease that concern and allow them to enjoy a family day out.”
Ami McKnight, Carer Support Worker (Short Breaks) at Falkirk & Clackmannanshire Carers Centre, added:
“Although caring for someone can be tough, stressful, and mentally and physically tiring, it can be rewarding too, often involving a great deal of pride and commitment. For many carers, however, the opportunity to have a break from their routine is vital to enable them to keep themselves well and have time out from their caring role.
“Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre recognises the benefits of having a short vital break to carers and is incredibly grateful to the Falkirk FC Foundation and Falkirk FC for their donation of match-day tickets to our Respitality programme. Not only will carers be able to support their local team and do something they may not normally be able to afford, we will also be able to offer the carers the gift of making memories.”
Jamie Swinney, CEO of Falkirk Football Club, said of the initiative:
“Firstly I would like to thank every Falkirk supporter who kindly donated to the Support our Bairns initiative. I want our football club and Foundation to act as an anchor for our local community, to provide support, assistance and a source of pride to people. The current cost of living crisis is making it more and more difficult for people to spend money on hobbies as people have less disposable income. This is particularly true for the most disadvantaged people in our community, so I am delighted we are able to jointly deliver this project with the support of the Foundation and Ami and her team. We look forward to welcoming many different families throughout the season with the thanks to the generosity of the Falkirk support.”
