After celebrating the 1^st birthday of Aberdeen FC Community Trust (AFCCT) on 1^st July AFCCT staff members have taken the opportunity to take a look back on their own personal involvement with AFCCT over the past 12 months.

We all look back at the previous 12 months with fondness and look forward to providing further support and opportunity to partners and participants throughout the North East over the next year!

Ally Prockter
Chief Executive

Aberdeen FC Community Trust’s first year as a standalone charity has been one of the most challenging and enjoyable years of my life.

With the help of so many fantastic people from the North East of Scotland and beyond, AFCCT is developing at a rate beyond our initial optimistic expectations and this progress is encouraging every one of us involved with AFCCT to work even harder to become bigger and better in Year 2.

I am humbled by the outstanding effort and commitment shown by so many in support of our local communities and I am sincerely grateful to everyone who has supported AFCCT up to this point. Whilst there have been many challenges along the way I honestly believe that AFCCT now regularly fulfils its vision “To provide support and opportunity to change lives for the better.”

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Steven Sweeney
Senior Scottish FA Community Coach
 
I have been based in Aberdeen for over 2 years now; it is an excellent City to live in, AFC is a fantastic Club to be partnered with, and Aberdeen FC Community Trust are a great Charity to work for. The key to the City, the Club, and AFCCT, are the people. There are people full of energy, enthusiasm and ideas at every turn and we are all working together towards the same vision.
 
The past 12 months has seen us create new jobs, increase the quantity and quality of our Programmes and engage with more people than ever before. I enjoy building strong working relationships with partners and programme participants, and I am infamous for my ‘character building’ with AFCCT staff and volunteers.

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing colleagues develop and achieve, seeing volunteers feel part of something special, and seeing young people we come into contact with develop their confidence, raise their ambitions and reach positive destinations.
 
I am really proud to have been a part of the 1st year of AFCCT, and I am looking forward to providing more SUPPORT and OPPORTUNITY across the North East over the next 12 months!

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Debra Christie
Fundraising and Business Development Co-ordinator
 
My experience of AFCCT began before I was employed as I was a participant in the Ladies FFIT (Football Fans in Training) programme. I met some lovely ladies and we have since gone on to become great friends and support for each other.

I was in awe of the work that was being carried out by the Trust and jumped at the chance to join the Team 10 months ago – I have since been ‘living the dream’!!! My position was a new one to be introduced at the Trust and I am relishing the exciting opportunities that are coming our way – through various partners that we are working with and programme participants.
 
One of my first tasks was to organise the inaugural fundraising dinner at the Marcliffe hotel, the success of this event was a true testament to the working relationship between AFC and AFCCT, everyone played their part and around £22,000 was raised. I then moved onto the next big project ‘Donny the Sheep’ – WOW this sheep has taken over my life – from volunteer auditions, launch on the pitch, appearances out & about, ‘When Angus met Donny’ book and Donny merchandise, I love all things Donny.
 
A huge amount has been achieved within the first year of AFCCT and my priority now is to link up with companies who may be interested in working with us to fulfil their CSR requirements in the form of ‘Charity of the Year’ and securing sponsorship/funding for current/future programmes/initiatives.
 
It’s a very infectious environment within the Trust, with a young enthusiastic team (apart from a few of us oldies!!!!). We are always keen to break through into new areas and constantly improve on current programmes we are delivering. The key to everything we do is the fact that we are a local charity who provides ‘support and opportunity’ to local people.

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Jim Crawford
Skills Development Coach
 
AFCCT Advanced Centre Programme this year has given many local youngsters the opportunity to fulfil their dream of emulating their football idols.

The Centres lay the foundation to learn and educate young players by showing them a wide variety of moves to beat opponents and other techniques based on the skills of the world’s greatest players past and present. Learning them WHERE and WHEN to execute the moves allows the players to become more creative and confident when in possession of the ball.
 
Due to the enthusiasm, hard work and endless practices at least 10 local kids have progressed through this pathway this year into the AFC Junior Academy taking the first steps into fulfilling their dream. Many other local boys club players have benefitted from participating in the programme.

This year a girls only AFCCT Advanced Centre has been formed for the first time and is making positive progress by giving many local girls the same opportunity to improve their technical ability which makes playing a more enjoyable experience. A win – win for local youngsters and AFCCT.

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Harley Hamdani
Scottish FA Football Equity Officer
 
My first year at Aberdeen FC Community Trust has been full of learning, happiness, development, friendship, and of course ‘support and opportunity’.

I have gone from being a part-time community coach to the Trust’s Scottish FA Football Equity Officer, a position which represents a big step in my career. AFCCT has given me the opportunity to form relationships with people of all ages and backgrounds, continue my learning and development and genuinely make a difference to people’s lives.
 
I am sure that this is just the beginning and our second year will bring even more success and growth, both to ourselves and to those around us.
 
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Liam McGarry
Scottish FA Community Coach
 
My year has been a hectic one with lots of hard work taking place, however, it has been an extremely enjoyable year with lots of success.

I’ve seen myself go from an AFCCT Community Coach to a Scottish FA Community Coach based at AFCCT, I’ve become qualified to deliver Coach Education for the Scottish FA and I have seen the progress of primary schools football in Aberdeen with AFCCT 7’s being established and the league moving across to Harlaw.

I have also been involved in school holiday camps summer 2014, October 2014, Christmas 2014, Easter 2015 and May Day 2015, a number of Junior Matchday Clubs and have also witnessed the birth of Donny the Sheep, the recruitment of 8 new staff and lastly the funding to deliver Dementia Friendly initiatives.

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David Smith
Senior Community Projects Officer
 
Having joined when AFC In The Community was a department within the club, it has been a  huge change in moving to the Trust since last July. Becoming a charity has opened so many doors, not just for the Trust but for the communities in the North East of Scotland.

We have been able to provide much more support and opportunity in a variety of different approaches. Culminating with our new Dementia Friendly Wellbeing programme for the people in Aberdeen, we are really looking forward to making positive changes for people and organisations here in the North East. 

From a personal point of view, being able to be a part of the Community Trust and helping to work with the community on behalf of Aberdeen FC, a club I have supported my entire life, is a dream come true.
 
Seeing so many people from the community coming to games, getting behind the team, and being a part of the club where before they haven’t managed to makes the job worthwhile. Recently we asked participants to raise money for the Community Trust at a match day and it was brilliant to see young people from Seaton Primary collecting money with our over 65s, and also men and women from our Football Fans In Training programmes, and families from Dons Family In Training getting involved it really has created a Dons Family feeling to a match day.

The highlight of the year (seeing as I never got meet my hero Eoin Jess when he was up) was watching the ‘Hampden Heroes’ from FFIT who beat Dundee United 4-0 at Half Time of the Scottish League Cup semi-final. Seeing the change in these guys over the 12 weeks was amazing, with not only the guys losing a lot of weight but having the confidence to walk out in front of 20,000 Dons fans and score at Hampden was brilliant and something they would never have done prior to the course.

The response from the fans before, during, and after the half time challenge was so positive and that has been the highlight of the year for me. Here’s to the next year of continuing to help people change lives for the better across the North East of Scotland. COYR!

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Iain McKay
Community Projects Officer
 
Although only recently starting my new role at Aberdeen FC Community Trust, I have been fortunate enough, through part-time sessional work, to experience at first hand the invaluable work the Trust offer within the North-East of Scotland to an extremely vast and diverse range of people.
 
Over the last year, Aberdeen FC Community Trust has touched the lives of so many people, by allowing them to meet with like-minded people and engage in activities aimed to physically and mentally enhance their lives for the better.
 
Now into my new role, I am incredibly humbled to provide the support and opportunity for people who wish to change their lives for the better.
 
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Dean McBain
Community Projects Officer
 
I have been with AFCCT / AFCITC (AFC in the Community previously) for over 2 years now and I am very proud to be part of a charity that provides so many opportunities to Change Lives for the Better. I started with AFC in the Community as the 6-Month Community Apprentice (through WorkingRite) and the 6th full time member of the team.

Now I am the Community Projects Officer for Aberdeen FC Community Trust and have personally had the best 2 years of my life. Knowing that my job is improving the lives of many in Aberdeen City and shire is a great feeling and I am very grateful for all the support AFCCT has given to me over the years.
 
The amount of Wider Community Engagement Programmes we now run is massive compared to two years ago. I also have responsibility in supporting our young volunteers through their Saltire Awards and seeing the dozens of volunteers enjoying their work is very rewarding for myself. The growth in the Trust is massive and I am very excited to see how much more of a positive impact we will continue to make in the future.

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Liam Duncan
SFA Club Development Officer
 
This year has seen myself take my first full-time role within Football, thanks to AFCCT. My main focuses this year has been the co-ordination and overseeing the delivery of the AFCCT Football Centres, which provides weekly Football sessions to over 720 participants every week, and the McDonalds Community Club Project, which is ran in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, and the SFA.

Both projects have been a massive success, but wouldn't be anywhere near as successful without the support given to myself and others by AFCCT. Personally I have learned so much in this past year by the sharing of experiences from different people within AFCCT and AFC, and the year has absolutely flown past.

This year has been an excellent year for myself, for the projects I'm involved in, and for the whole of AFCCT, however I see it as a great start, and I'm looking forward to what will be an even better and more exciting future with AFCCT.

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Lisa Gibson
Administration Assistant

I have had an enjoyable experience here and it has been totally unforgettable. My highlights here would be dressing up as Angus the Bull and being taught/trained on how to be helpful to people who have dementia. Working at Aberdeen FC Community Trust is like working with a big massive family.

I have been welcomed in so well, they’re lovely, funny and always chatting. They’re like a second family and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I joined AFCCT through WorkingRite and ever since I started I couldn’t be happier.