JAGS IN THE SOUTH SIDE
Saturday saw Partick Thistle and the Jags Trust take on the south side of the city. At the invitation of the organisers, Partick Thistle’s Head of Youth Development John Henry and Trust Board Representative and club Community Director Kieron Dempsey attended the Govanhill Festival. The area itself has had a large influx of immigrants over the last few years and the purpose of this event is to create opportunities to celebrate diversity and create opportunities for interaction amongst the different ethnic groups within the area.
Govanhill is the home of the newly formed Govanhill Thistle which will encourage integration through sport. The team is being put together through the efforts of Govanhill Youth Project the Trust and the club with the intention of helping to focus the young people of the area, irrespective of race or gender, in events promoting teamwork, trust and respect. Govanhill Thistle takes its name from Partick Thistle having been started by kids from Roma community in the area who have benefited from our community engagement social integration programme and are now Thistle supporters. The team’s strips are being provided by the Jags Trust the cost of which has benefited from a gift from a generous sponsor. Coaching costs to assist the project are also being paid for by the Trust with two of the GYP workers and two of the young people of the area being put through the SFA courses to make the project sustainable.
John’s training sessions proved to be very popular with eighteen children taking part. Sessions lasted for just under two hours and was one of the main highlights of the festival. Indeed, John’s efforts were greatly received by local community workers one of whom said that “…this is great for the kids of the area. We thank you for what you are doing here”. The festival was also attended by local politicians Mohammed Sarwar and Frank MacAveety. Mr MacAveety was very interested in what the Trust and Club were doing in the area and spent some time with John and Kieron at the pitch area. Following reminiscences about his own footballing years Mr MacAveety said that “…he appreciates what the club are doing … including letting the under sixteens in for free….”
A bonus for the club at the event was that the level of footballing skill was high and indeed two of the local youths have caught John’s eye and will be contacted in due course to continue to progress our interest.
After the event Kieron was approached by another worker in the hope that similar engagement in other areas of the south side might help to benefit the youths he is working with and it is hoped that the trust’s soon to be launched community training initiative will help in some way in this respect.
John Henry and Frank MacAveety
Training sessions were held in the local park
John explains the training session to the kids
John Henry shows the kids what to do in training session
Football match action
Kieron meets Tariq and young footballers in Govanhill
