Friend of VYD CIC, Montpelier Villa legend and all-round lovely human being, Lewis Claydon, is fundraising for VYD. Lewis saw some of our programmes in action and decided to get involved to support us to help more marginalised and displaced people. We couldn’t be more thankful for Lewis’s amazing support.
Some of the refugees who attend VYD sessions have walked for over 11 months to reach safer shores. Imagine the distress and trauma they have suffered as they leave their homelands due to war, terror, or tragic circumstances. VYD works with displaced people as well as marginalised and disenfranchised people in England. Our aim is simple: to provide fun, safe, and educational experiences – for free – using the power of football. We want to lower the barriers to entry, improve access to both sport and education and help others to really value their development.
Anyway, over to Lewis!
Dear family, friends, and colleagues: I’m fundraising!
I’m attempting to run 5k a day every day for a year, in support of Value Your Development Community Interest Company (VYD). I started on 7th September, 2021, which makes today (22nd June, 2022) day 288 out of 365. I’m doing it because I want to and I have a choice. Many refugees arriving in the UK have no choice, travelling for days, months and even years to avoid persecution.
With the situation across many countries in the world leading to more young people fleeing their homelands, VYD, along with many other fantastic non-profit organisations, try to offer a glimpse of what a welcoming, caring and humane society looks like.
VYD is a fully grounded, not-for-profit organisation with high aspirations, run by an incredible friend of mine who dedicates so much of his time to helping others in the Brighton and Hove area. The ethos is simple: Use football to enable personal development, and in doing so, help tackle the socio-economic pressures affecting some of the UK’s most deprived and neglected communities.
Any money raised will be used to offer more football sessions to refugees and other marginalised groups, paying for pitches and coaches, as well as supplying new kit, water bottles and any other equipment they might need.
I recognise there are many requests for sponsorship against a backdrop of increased financial pressure, but anything you can spare will really help. Even if you can’t right now, following them on LinkedIn or Twitter (VYD_CIC) will help raise awareness and be greatly appreciated.
Please head to this page to donate.
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lewis-claydon-yvd
Thanks, Lewis
