Funders and Sponsors

MIDDLESBROUGH FOOTBALL CLUB

The Chairman Steve Gibson has invested heavily in MFC in the Community. MFC provide an enormous amount of in-kind support.

The Willie Maddren Centre based in the East Stand of the Riverside Stadium was built specifically by MFC for community use and they continue to maintain this facility. MFC in the Community is also able to access other facilities within the stadium such as the Player’s Lounge, executive boxes and function suites.

MFC provides a number of complimentary tickets for every Premier leaguer game that we can use as incentives and rewards for our initiatives. We also receive tickets,tours, catering and retail products at a subsidised rate.

MFC provides players to support many of our events. This is a massive boost to our programmes. We receive tremendous backing from MFC’s Community Liaison Officer Diane O’Connell who arranges and attends the majority of these events.

MFC also provides public relations support and we are able to use the expertise of the media and communications department who will produce press releases and articles for the match day programme and other publications.

There are many MFC members of staff who contribute to our Enterprise Academy department. On a regular basis staff will work with our young people to demonstrate how MFC runs as a business. The contribution of staff is vital to bring a real-life perspective to the modules. Special mention must go to Graham Fordy, Judith Boal, Jo Swinnerton and Howard Porteous who have been regular guests over the years and always provide a quality insight into their respective departments.

Finally we are indebted to Yvonne Ferguson the Human Resources Manager who provides her vital expertise in his complex area.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Middlesbrough Football Club for all of their support over the years.

MIDDLESBROUGH PRIMARY CARE TRUST

Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community has a very strong partnership with Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust. The relationship started in 1997 when Tees Health as it was named at the time, took the innovative step of investing in the scheme to use football as a medium to promote positive health messages to the local community .

After the initial two-year funding, the project received a further 3-year Health Action Zone cash injection. At the end of this funding stream Director of Public Health Dr. Peter Kelly was instrumental in continuing the partnership and over the last two years the funding has been exclusively from Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust.

This relationship enabled the Primary Care Trust to work with the Football Club to ensure that the Riverside Stadium was the first “Smoke Free” stadium in the country.

The Primary Care Trust funding has developed the “Heading for Health” programme in East Middlesbrough. This concentrated programme works with 7 primary schools to try and improve health and fitness of children and families

GOVERNMENT OFFICE ONE NORTH EAST

Government Office ONE North East have provided major funding over the last 5 years to set up and develop the Enterprise Academy.

There was an initial 3 year investment from the 'Single Programme' fund. This enabled the Enterprise Academy to lay the foundations for their innovative and groundbreaking project.

The success of the programme was recognised when a further 3-years of funding was agreed to take the Enterprise Academy to the next level. This funding runs until April 2008.

MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL

Middlesbrough Council have been a key partner in the development of the Enterprise Academy. They have been very supportive in setting up the initiative and playing a leading role in the monitoring, evaluating and budgeting of the project.

We have had invaluable support from a number of key staff within the Council.

STOCKTON BOROUGH COUNCIL

Similar to Middlesbrough Council, Stockton are a key partner who were heavily involved in the early planning. We have received tremendous support at steering group level and when securing further funding.

TEES VALLEY PARTNERSHIP

We have been able to extend our learning provision within the Herlingshaw Centre of Middlesbrough Football Community Centre thanks to a grant from the Tees Valley Partership.

This grant has enabled us to build three new classrooms, an office and much needed storage space. This has transformed a huge unused space within the centre to become a thriving new non-traditional learning environment.

This expansion will allow us to work with more and more young, disadvantaged people over the coming years.

FOOTBALL FOUNDATION

The Football Foundation have awarded us a three-year grant to deliver our highly successful "Fit through Football" programme in Redcar & Cleveland Schools.

The funding which ends in April 2007 allowed us to engage with over 12000 children over the three years. The programme enabled children to attend a one-day course at the stadium and was followed by an intensive in and out of school programme which concentrated on improving health and fitness.

A second strand to the programme was a behavioural coaching programme that rewarded children for improved behaviour and attendance.

The programme has become imbedded in many primary schools in Redcar & Cleveland.

PERTEMPS

Pertemps have funded our 'Future Goals' programme for a two-year period. The fantastic support from Pertemps allows us to deliver football and lifestyle programmes to youngsters in the east Middlesbrough area on evenings and during school holidays.

We work closely to involve the parents in these programmes so they have the opportunity to benefit from the extensive training and back to work expertise of the Pertemps team.

SPORTSMATCH

Sportsmatch funding allows us to double the resources we put into the 'Future Goals' programme and enables us to work with more and more young people.

BOX CLOTHING

Box Clothing based on Newport Road in Middlesbrough kindly offer fantastic prizes for Middlesbrough Football Community Centre's Youth League on a Wednesday evening.

The winners for the league, top goalscorer and player of the season receive gift vouchers for the popular clothing store.

CONNEXIONS

Connexions have provided funding to refurbish the Lions Den classroom to improve the learning environment for the many young people who they signpost on to our programmes.

Funding has also enabled the Football First team to employ an IT specialist which has added to the quality of delivery in this area.

CAPRI-SUN

Capri- Sun continue to support our Girl's Development programme. The funding allows us to run a number of tournaments for both primary and secondary school girls teams. Also it has enabled us to set up girls leagues running throughout the academic year and a comprehensive coaching programme introducing girls to football.