Message from Wyndham Williams, Community Development Manager, Haverfordwest County AFC Limited
Hi everyone, the time has arrived!
I am pleased to announce the launch of Bluebird’s Befrienders.
Haverfordwest County AFC has teamed up with Age Cymru Dyfed to ‘Kick-Off Conversation’ together with a new joint project called Bluebird’s Befrienders. This project will enable the club to support those who are isolated and lonely, by connecting them through sport.
The project has been funded through the Friend In Need Welsh Government grant on behalf of Age Cymru to improve social connections and reduce social isolation for people over 50 years of age.
This initiative will use the power of football and sport to connect, inspire and engage people who have an interest in the sport. We want to target people specifically in Pembrokeshire who are over the age of 50 who are suffering from isolation and loneliness due to the pandemic.
The aim is to reignite and stir up sporting memories and experiences when talking about sports, teams, players, matches, and experiences from the past by working with images and sports memorabilia to stimulate memories.
Initially, we will use Zoom to help people chat online and have fun by using the newly produced ‘Kick-Off Conversation’ tool kit pack, which includes a range of fun multi-sport activity cards, puzzles, quizzes, crosswords, and other goodies to enable people to work together and find common ground.
We are also offering digital support through the Pembrokeshire Association Voluntary Services Community Connector tablet loan scheme and Age Cymru Dyfed digital device loan programme.
Furthermore, we will be running a Bluebird’s Befriending campaign to recruit and identify volunteers inside and outside the club to join our team. Once volunteers have been identified they will receive training and support from Age Cymru Dyfed and will be suitably matched up to a referral befriendee.
To ‘Kick-Off Conversation’ we are hosting a Zoom session for partner organisations and link workers who might be interested and would like to find out more about Bluebird’s Befrienders and how we could help support their service users.
Bluebird’s Befrienders Partner Organisation Information Sessions on Friday 26th March at 1 pm -1.30 pm.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqcuCppjIpEtGOVfLgX89ejlwtXkpPVLcn
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Please share this with your contact networks and colleagues. If you have any service users that may be interested in joining us, there will be a separate Zoom session for participants at 2 pm on the same day.
All this information can be found on the social media post attachment with a promotion image for your organisation to share on social media platforms. Please visit our page on the Connect Platform for further information https://connectpembrokeshire.org.uk/bluebirds-befrienders
https://connectpembrokeshire.org.uk/news
Please help us in our mission to ‘Kick-Off Conversation’.
If you have any further questions or need some more information please contact either:
Emma Bingham – Age Cymru Dyfed Life Links Coordinator
emma.bingham@agecymrudyfed.org.uk 07415721205 / 01437 723370
Age Cymru Dyfed (ageuk.org.uk)
Wyndham Williams – Haverfordwest County AFC Community Development Manager
w.williams@hcafc1899.football 07377201118
Haverfordwest County AFC – HOME OF THE BLUEBIRDS
Haverfordwest County AFC | Facebook
Haverfordwest County AFC (@HaverfordwestFC) / Twitter
Join us today to ‘Kick-Off Conversation’
Many thanks,
Wyndham Williams
