Charlton Upbeats to takeover Charlton Athletic Training Ground

Charlton Upbeats to takeover Charlton Athletic Training Ground

Ahead of this year’s Upbeats Walk to raise money for the flagship Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) programme, young people with Down’s syndrome will be taking over Charlton Athletic’s Training Ground on 20 April.

The Upbeats is a programme which provides children and adults with Down’s syndrome with regular football sessions and a range of other opportunities such as trips, socials, and work experience opportunities. To help raise awareness for the upcoming 9-mile fundraising walk, some members of the Upbeats will be taking on roles at the Training Ground for the day as part of an Upbeats Takeover, including:

• Serving hot drinks to players in the canteen area
• Working with groundstaff painting pitch lines
• Organising equipment and kit
• Food preparation
• Football analysis

The Upbeats will then pose questions to Men’s First-Team Manager Dean Holden, who recently encouraged all Charlton fans to get involved in the fundraising event, in the press conference.

Dean and his team met Upbeats Danny and Perry in March for World Down’s Syndrome Day.

In recent years, several of the Upbeats have taken part in work experience and paid work opportunities including in the Upbeats Kitchen at The Valley and at Toca Social at The O2.

Some members of the Upbeats will also be heading to Sky Studios on Saturday 22 April to feature in one of the last-ever recordings of Soccer AM. The Upbeats will be taking part in a pre-show football challenge involving Upbeats goalkeeper Paul Moss to be broadcast via Soccer AM’s Instagram Live. They will then be in the studio audience for the main show on Sky Showcase or Sky Sports Football. 

On 29 April, the annual fundraiser for the programme, the Upbeats Walk, which is once again being sponsored by DNEL Events, will be taking place. The programme is entirely funded by voluntary donations, and 120 supporters have signed up to take part in this year’s walk so far.

Bob Bolder, Simon Webster and Paul Mortimer will be taking part in the 9-mile walk from Charlton Athletic’s Training Ground to The Valley in support of the programme. Absolute Radio presenter and CACT Ambassador Dave Berry will be greeting the walkers as they cross the finish line pitch side at the Valley. Dean is also expected to make an appearance.

The programme has a huge impact on its participants and their families, with 100% agreeing that the programme developed their social skills and made new friends and improved their emotional wellbeing.

Tori Goldstone, whose son Perry has been attending the Upbeats since the programme began, spoke about the impact on her son.

“Perry went to a mainstream school and all his friends were able to be part of teams that played on a Saturday and Sunday. There wasn’t anything for Perry to be able to take part in so when the opportunity to join the Upbeats came along, we grabbed it. It gave him a sense of belonging, community, football – which is his passion – and just being part of a team. I’ve seen a huge change in his abilities.”

Tori Goldstone, a participant’s mother