Montrose wins Scottish Community Football Project Award

Montrose wins Scottish Community Football Project Award

Montrose Community Trust, the charity arm of Scottish League One side Montrose FC, was recently feted with an award for one of its football for development projects during the McDonalds & Sunday Mail Grassroots Awards ceremony held online via Zoom.

Scotland Women’s Head Coach Shelley Kerr (MBE), announced during the event facilitated by the Scottish Football Association East Region, that Montrose Community Trust scooped the Best Community Football for All project. Montrose Project Manager Logan Cruickshank collected the regional award which qualifies the Trust nomination for the national award.

In detailing reasons why Montrose Community Trust (MCT), a member of the European Football for Development Network (EFDN) won, the selection panel noted the project demonstrates that football has a unique ability to reach, engage and positively influence many.

MCT, who have signed up for the #Morethanfootball Action Weeks set for September 15 to October 11, engage with over 1400 people weekly from the ages of 1 to 90+ through an extensive range of sporting, health and educational initiatives. The EFDN-organised #Morethanfootball Action Weeks are the biggest global campaign showcasing the football for development initiatives carried out by European football clubs, their foundations and other organisations.

Using the context of football, MCT delivers 34 distinct programmes weekly that seek to support the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in their community, whether it be those that are disengaged from the mainstream curriculum, unemployed, living with a disability, suffering from poor mental health, living with dementia and/or in isolation to name just a few.

Over 10% of the town’s population engage with the Trust weekly, and over 25% annually. Many enjoy the extensive range of initiatives on offer, whilst many more have come to rely on the essential services provided. In addition, MCT ensure that regardless of age, ability and/or aspiration, everyone can participate in recreational and/or competitive football. Their community football programme provides opportunities for boys and girls as young as 18 months old, offering a fun introduction to football, right up to walking football for men and women in their 70s and 80s.

In between such, the Trust also delivers bespoke programmes for girls, children and adults with disabilities, and adults recovering from harmful addictions. For those with a desire to play competitively, their Montrose Community Football Club provides opportunities across all ages with Montrose Youth FC (boys and girls, from age 5 to 17), Montrose Amateur FC, Montrose Ladies FC, Montrose Roselea Junior FC, Montrose Masters FC (over 35s) and Montrose Walking FC (men and women).

Montrose Community Trust are the heartbeat of their community, evidenced greatly during COVID-19 which saw the Trust support those most affected, through the preparation and delivery of over 2000 meals, offering of an essential transport scheme for older adults requiring to attend routine medical appointments, individual and group mental health befriending calls and the provision of football-themed home schooling activity packs.

In appreciation of their winning the award, the Trust wishes to share the accolade with, thank and congratulate the partner clubs that form the Montrose Community Football Club, Montrose Youth FC, Montrose Amateur FC, Montrose Ladies FC, Montrose Roselea JFC and Montrose Walking FC, and the extensive network of volunteers that ensure such opportunities exist.