Before Tranmere Rovers’ game with Morecambe earlier this month, Tranmere Rovers in the Community welcomed members of a group called the Respect Project from Newry in Northern Ireland to join us for a football session at Prenton Park Recreation Centre.
The Respect Project was set up in 2011 by community volunteers, with the aim of ‘using sport as a tool to engage young people and help create safer, stronger and more respectful communities throughout the Newry and Mourne area.’
Rather than just focusing on playing sport the Respect Project enhances the development of young people by providing them with opportunities to learn and develop as individuals by engaging them in the RESPECT Education Programme which runs alongside the sporting activities.
When he found out they would be in the area on the date of the game, Tranmere Rovers in the Community Project Manager Tom Rowlands invited the group along for a matchday experience and free football session.
The group arrived in time to join our Premier League Unified Kicks Football session, fully inclusive of all disabilities and genders, in a game which united people from different backgrounds through football.
They then took part in a football session before receiving free tickets to the match through our Nate’s Tickets scheme.
On the visit, Tom said: “It was great to welcome the Respect Project over to Prenton Park for our matchday evening - the opportunity to not only meet but also learn from a well-respected scheme was a valuable experience.
It was clear that their model of creating empowered communities through the power of sport was highly effective and made a significant difference to the lives of young people in Newry.”
The Lead Coach at Respect Project, Martin Connell, said: “Big thank you to all the staff at Tranmere Rovers for the warm welcome we received during our visit to the Club.
“The young people thoroughly enjoyed the football coaching session and interacting with both the young people and coaches from Tranmere Rovers in the Community.
“We look forward to strengthening this relationship in the future and using football as a way of bringing communities together.”
