The Honourable
The Irish Society

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Playing for the Future, Portadown

to benefit communities and bring people together

Founded by Thomas McStravick with the aim of bringing people together and providing opportunities through football, Playing for the Future (a non-profit Community Interest Company) offers high quality weekly football training and match opportunities; organises multi-sports and seasonal football camps which it delivers in conjunction with Ulster University (Jordanstown campus); and is responsible for organising some of Northern Ireland’s biggest youth football competitions including the Craigavon Cup and Belfast Youth Cup.  They currently have some 200 members aged between 7 and 14, and have expanded their ‘catchment’ from Craigavon and Mid-Ulster to young people living in Belfast and urban areas surrounding the capital city.  Priding itself on being open, inclusive and representative of all, Playing for the Future CIC is keen to remove financial barriers that might restrict young people from enjoying the beautiful game, and to use sport as a vehicle to embrace positive change and inspire them to be productive members of the community going forward.  So, with a continual need to replace and upgrade equipment, they applied for funding towards small sided and pop-up goals plus 80 Precision footballs.  As with other similar applications, the Committee was content to agree a grant of £500 from the Clothworkers’ NI Fund.