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• Reece is an NCS graduate having taken part in last year’s programme.
• He now studies an 18-month apprenticeship with the Community Trust.
• Latics’ game against Stoke City on Wednesday night is an #NCSMatchDay.

For 17-year-old Latics fan Reece Webster, Wigan Athletic Community Trust’s National Citizen Service programme has helped to develop him as a person as well as provide him with exciting opportunities to continue his educational development with the club’s official charity.

Reece, who first started out on the Train with Latics course and now studies an 18-month apprenticeship with the Community Trust, credits NCS for helping him to improve his confidence and self-esteem having taken part in the scheme last year.

A national programme which aims to improve the confidence, leadership and teamwork skills of youngsters aged 15-17, NCS gives them the opportunity to gain invaluable work and life experiences.

As part of a wider �������� Trust campaign, Latics’ game against Stoke City at the DW Stadium on Wednesday night will be the club’s dedicated #NCSMatchDay which will see coaches from the Trust promote the programme to youngsters in the Family Zone underneath the East Stand.

Reece said: “I picked up so many different skills on NCS, things like people-skills, communication, confidence and decision-making, all of which have helped me to become a better person.

“Confidence is the biggest change in me though, I’m now a lot more confident and don’t really know where I’d be without the NCS programme, it’s been a really big help.”

Broken into four phases; adventure, discovery, social action project and graduation, NCS gives participants the chance to take on new challenges, complete various activities, make long-lasting friendships and develop skills that will support them with the transition to adulthood.

“I’ve met so many new people and have made lots of friends as part of NCS, some of which I probably would never have met if I hadn’t have signed-up to the programme.

“Even though I was a little bit nervous at the start of it all, I’m so glad I kept at it because I really enjoyed myself and it was one of the best experiences of my life and it led me to gaining a place on the Community Trust’s apprenticeship programme which I was delighted about.

“I now help to deliver PE and school sport sessions in primary schools across Wigan, which has further helped me to develop my skills and increase my confidence.

“I’d 100% recommend NCS to any young person in Wigan because it provides you with some unbelievable experiences and memories.”

Are you a current Year 11 or 12 student and want to know more about Wigan Athletic Community Trust’s NCS project?

Please email NCS manager Mick Whittle on [email protected] or call 01942 318090 for further information about the programme.

Cambridge United’s ‘Mind Your Head’ programme has been cited in an All-Party Parliamentary Group report as an example of good practice in the mental health sector.

The report, which was prepared by a working group of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood programme, quotes ‘Mind Your Head’ on pages 53-55 as “an example of a successful practice based evidence programme that is certainly capable of successful adoption and replication in other school settings.”

You can view the report here

The programme, which is delivered through Cambridge United Community Trust in partnership with Cambridge youth mental-health charity Centre 33, aims at helping secondary school children deal better with stress and anxiety.

To date, the programme has been delivered to more than 1000 students over six sessions that destigmatize mental health, educate young people about how to deal with stress and also encourage young people to discuss how social media can both positively and negatively affect their well-being.

Talking about the impact of the programme, Adrian Bradley, Head of Sport and Health at �������� Trust said:

“It’s excellent to see the Mind Your Head project cited in the report and it is a good example  of the large amount of work going on at �������� Clubs helping their communities to tackle mental health issues.’’

Paul Farmer, CEO of MIND, praised the Club’s approach. He said:

“It’s great to see Cambridge United taking such a strong leadership position in putting mental health at the heart of football. Their ambition to be a mentally healthy club, supported by their practical action plan, is a model for the game. Mind’s partnership with the �������� is seeing clubs across the country starting to take action, working together with local Minds…I’m delighted to see the CUFC approach in the club and community taking shape.”

Ben Szreter, Cambridge United Community Trust CEO, said:

“We’re flattered to have had recognition within parliament for our Mind Your Head schools programme. Cambridge United’s ambition to be a mentally healthy football club has taken shape over the last year or so across the football club and we’re pleased to be able to help to open up conversations about mental health and destigmatise the issue.”

To find out more about Cambridge United Community Trust’s ‘Mind Your Head’ programme visit: 

Tony, aged 75, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer nearly seven years ago, credits Derby County Community Trust’s Active Recovery Programme for keeping him highly motivated throughout his treatment.

Within a few months of diagnosis he had the tumour removed, but in a routine check-up six months after the procedure, tests indicated that the prostate was not fully removed.

This meant Tony had to begin a course of aggressive radiotherapy, where he had 33 courses in just two months, leaving him physically drained.

Despite the treatment being successful in removing the prostate, 18 months later significant bleeding led to a sigmoidoscopy which discovered radiation burns. There was no treatment option, only to wait and hope that the burns would heal and scar over.

Almost six years after his initial diagnosis, Tony was discharged by his consultant in May 2018, but still requires follow up tests as a precaution.

Throughout his illness and treatment, Tony was a member of the Derby Prostate Support Group, and was invited to a Macmillan Health and Wellbeing Event at Pride Park Stadium. The Derby County Community Trust team gave a talk on Active Recovery, an exercise programme designed to complement cancer treatment and recovery.

Tony got in touch with Derby County Community Trust’s cancer advisor, and due to living outside the city of Derby, agreed to try one session a week. He’s not looked back ever since, and is a dedicated member of the group, who not only has helped himself by taking part but spreads the word about the programme to ensure as many people who are overcoming cancer can gain the additional support.

From diagnosis and through treatment, Tony felt significant physiological changes, which led to behavioural changes and psychological problems. He experienced a loss of self-confidence and low self-esteem, and his family were affected too as they found it difficult to come to terms with everything that was happening.

Through joining the Derby Prostate Cancer Support Group, Tony and his family realised that they were not alone with their problems, psychological therapy improved his self-esteem and helped his family to understand the changes and the impact of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Active Recovery improved his self-confidence due to improvement in balance, coordination and stamina. Working in a group with others who were overcoming cancer like himself was hugely important to Tony, and most he found that it was highly motivational.

He said: “The hardest part of dealing with cancer diagnosis and treatment was the way it changed my behaviour and feelings, as this didn’t just impact me, but my family. Support groups, therapy and Active Recovery helped us realise that we weren’t alone in what we were going through.”

 “Active Recovery really improved my self-confidence as I was able to better my balance, coordination and stamina. Working in a group with others going through similar experiences to myself was really motivating as we were able to support one another.”

To find out more about the Derby County Community Trust’s cancer rehabilitation programmes, please see: