Gills join all other clubs in the EFL to support their day of action.
All 72 EFL Clubs will come together to highlight the work undertaken to tackle some of society’s biggest issues for the EFL’s Day of the Action 2019.
On Tuesday 19 March, EFL Clubs across the Sky Bet Championship, League One and League Two will each host events designed to showcase the very best of their work to tackle a diverse range of social issues, from homelessness and mental health, to community cohesion and the battle against plastic pollution.
Up and down the country, managers and players from the EFL’s 72 Clubs will also be attending events to pay special visits to participants and turn their hand to some of the activities taking place throughout the day.
In the Sky Bet Championship, Aston Villa’s Albert Adomah has been distributing essential supplies to homeless people in Birmingham. The Villa star joined the Outreach Angels – a group of local volunteers – to hand out hot food, toiletries and warm clothing.
Bolton Wanderers’ will be showcasing their ‘Inside Out’ Programme which aims to reduce the risk of offending by 17-25-year-olds in the local area through positive activities such as sport and exercise.
In Sky Bet League One, Luton Town caretaker manager Mick Harford will be welcoming the Club’s Every Player Counts disability players to the training ground for a unique coaching session whilst Walsall players will be giving out 300 tickets and t-shirts to local school children as part of the Club’s commitment to engaging with the younger generation of fans in the area.
Cambridge United of Sky Bet League Two have been recognised nationally for improving mental health literacy in young people. The ‘Mind Your Head’ project raises awareness about mental health, tackles stigma and promotes good mental health, whilst crucially helping secondary school pupils understand and manage their own mental health, avoiding potential issues in the future.
Gillingham FC are also supporting the event and welcomed members of the club's `Shape Up` project to the Medway Priestfield Stadium on March 9 for our match against Oxford United.
“SHAPE-UP” is being delivered by Gillingham FC Community Department, with the aim to engage young people in the Shepway region of Kent in physical activities and social inclusion issues.
The rationale behind the project is to break down barriers between groups of young people, decreasing the likelihood of young people engaging in anti-social and risk-taking behaviour and improving family relationships.
The information flow between all parties involved is imperative, therefore there is weekly communication with parents, schools and other relevant agencies to discuss any issues that may occur or will affect the participants.
To find out more about the Shape-Up Project you can contact Barry Cooper; bcooper@priestfield.com