Aberdeen FC is proud to be a thriving, community driven football club who aim to have a positive impact far beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch working alongside our partner charity, AFC Community Trust.
We recognise our unique standing in the local community and appreciate the importance of giving something back as we actively engage with the local communities that support and sustain the club and AFC Community Trust.
Here is a small taster of the recent activity that various representatives of the football club and AFC Community Trust have undertaken this past while in our efforts to interact with our local community.
Dons stars play Santa for the day
The Aberdeen first team squad made their annual visit to Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital on Tuesday 16th December handing out AFC gifts, signing autographs and taking time to meet the kids. All the gifts were bought with money contributed by each player in the home dressing room and also a generous donation from the club. The Club also gifted the hospital with further AFC goodies to be given out to any youngsters who are unfortunately admitted to the wards during the Christmas period.
AFCCT Get Outdoors Launch
On Tuesday 18th November Aberdeen FC Community Trust launched a brand new programme for people over the age of 65. 'Get Outdoors' is the latest programme to offer support and opportunity for members of the community over the age of 65 and follows on from the success of the Trust's summer programmes, Pittodrie Health Walks and AFC in The Park. AFCCT have been able to run these programmes thanks to funding from Aberdeen City Council and the NHS's Change Fund, which provides organisations the funds to help keep people over the of 65 active, healthy, and also provide the opportunity to make new friends and interact with people of similar age throughout the year.
AFC Ladies Presentation Night
AFC Ladies held their annual presentation night at Pittodrie on Friday 21st November. Dons Vice Chairman George Yule attended the evening with the Scottish League Cup allowing all of the girls to get their picture taken with the trophy. Dons Assist Strathspey Thistle Fundraising Efforts
AFC Directors Craig Brown and George Yule were guests of Strathspey Thistle in Grantown-on-Spey for their league match against Brora Rangers on 19th November. Strathspey Thistle were presented with a signed AFC football on the evening to assist them with their fundraising efforts. Craig and George are pictured above with two members of the Strathspey Thistle committee. Ellon Meadows Presentation Night
On Sunday 30th November Adam Rooney attended Ellon Meadows presentation night handing out trophies to the young players before taking part in a Q & A session.
AFCCT Inaugural Dinner Success On Tuesday 25th November Aberdeen FC Community Trust held a Fundraising Dinner at the Marcliffe Hotel & Spa. A total in excess £22,000 has been raised. All the money raised will be used to develop and deliver community programmes in the North East of Scotland, designed to provide Support and Opportunity to change lives for the better. ACVO Recognition for Aberdeen FC & AFCCT On Tuesday 25th November, the same day as AFCCT's first ever Fundraising Dinner, Aberdeen FC and Aberdeen FC Community Trust received the 'Friend of the Third Sector' award at the Aberdeen Impact Awards. AFCCT Chief Executive Ally Prockter is pictured above with the award. 2015 AFC Calendar Signing Session The annual AFC Calendar Signing event took place on Tuesday 9th December in the AFC Shop with first team players Adam Rooney, Cammy Smith, Shay Logan & Niall McGinn in attendance signing the Official 2015 AFC Calendar for lots of happy Dons fans.
Dons in Strategic Partnership with Statoil On 11th December Aberdeen Football Club announced that the Club had entered into a strategic partnership with Norwegian energy firm Statoil to further enhance the work being undertaken at the Club across its Youth Development programmes.
Statoil is to be the exclusive 'Talent Partner' of Aberdeen Football Club with the emphasis specifically on the future development of elite youth players through the AFC Junior and Youth Academy. AFC Vice Chairman and Gunnar Breivik, Managing Director of Statoil Production U.K. Limited are pictured above on the morning that the partnership was announced. McDonald’s Community Club Project Information Night On Monday 24th November all grassroots clubs within Aberdeen City were invited into Pittodrie for a presentation on the McDonald’s Community Club Project. The McDonald’s Community Club Project is a new initiative which will see a member of the Scottish Football Association coaching staff work individually with the club coaches of a grassroots club within the city for approximately six months. The project is in association with McDonalds, who part fund the programme. Scottish FA Club Development Officer Liam Duncan has been piloting the programme for AFCCT for the past 3 months with 2 clubs, Cove YFC and Culter YFC. Westhill and District Friendly Football League joins forces with AFCCT 7’s On 17th November AFCCT Community Coach Liam McGarry invited coaches from the Westhill and District Friendly Football League (WDFFL) into Pittodrie to discuss WDFFL joining AFC Community Trust’s Primary Schools Football League – AFCCT 7’s. Liam presented to the audience, providing them with an insight to AFCCT 7’s philosophy, The Scottish FA’s National Player Pathway and Positive Coaching Scotland (PCS). The information was very well received by the vast majority of stakeholders at WDFFL which was reflected through the voting results with an overwhelming percentage voting yes to join AFCCT 7’s. Everyone at AFCCT is excited to welcome WDFFL next August at the start of the new academic year. League Cup Visit to Subsea 7
Aberdeen FC Vice Chairman George Yule and AFCCT Chief Executive Ally Prockter visited Subsea 7 in Westhill on 5th December. Some of the employees are pictured above with the Scottish League Cup. AFCCT present at Scottish FA National Community Scheme In-Service On Wednesday 10th December, Senior Scottish FA Community Coach Steven Sweeney presented at the Scottish FA Community Scheme’s National In-Service at the SportScotland National Sports Centre in Largs. The new AFC Community Trust Promotional Video was shown, alongside a presentation of the current Programmes and Initiatives ran by AFCCT across their 5 Strands; Positive Activity, Health & Wellbeing, Equality & Inclusion, Good Citizenship and Learning. Aberdeen FC’s approach and implementation of the creation and provision of AFCCT is being hailed nationally as best practice, and an example other Clubs should look to follow going forward. Ash Taylor visits AFCCT Football Centre in partnership with David Lloyd On 18th November Ash Taylor made an appearance at the AFC Community Trust Football Centre held at David Lloyd in Aberdeen. The football centre is run in partnership with David Lloyd, and is run for gym member's children. AFC Community Trust has been in partnership with David Lloyd since summer 2014, with the partnership hopefully running for years to come.
Ash Taylor made the visit to the centre to see the young players in action, where they had a chance to show off their skills, and have a game of football. All players were extremely excited and eager to show Ash the things they had learnt from their AFCCT community coach. Drugs Action (DA) Recovery Star Awards On 28th November Craig Brown, Angus the Bull and Ally Prockter were guests at the first ever DA Recovery Star Awards held at the Citadel, Aberdeen. The event was organised to formally recognise the significant effort and achievements of local individuals and families in connection with their ongoing recovery from drug and/or alcohol addiction issues.
Craig and Angus proved very welcome additions to the event, and their attendance enhanced an excellent local charity event. Luan Grugeon, Chief Executive of DA (pictured with Craig) was very grateful to AFC and AFCCT for their support. Activpayroll continue partnership with AFC
Aberdeen FC’s partnership with activpayroll continued with the installation of a brand new tunnel ahead of our recent match against Hamilton Accies at Pittodrie. The tunnel, sponsored by activpayroll, is pictured above with Ally Prockter, Sian Odgers (activpayroll’s Business Services Director), Russell Anderson, Federica Monacelli (activpayroll’s PR & Marketing Executive) and George Yule. Aberdeenshire Champions Board Event for Young Persons in Care On 4th December, 80+ young persons ‘in care’ and their carers attended an event organised by Aberdeenshire Council and held in the AAM Suite. The day’s activities were delivered to provide the young people with the opportunity to ‘have a voice’ in their own care and development, and was supported by Central Coaches, AFC, Sodexo and AFC Community Trust. AFCCT has been invited to sit on the resultant ‘Champions Board’ which will assist in supporting and progressing future opportunities for children in care in Aberdeenshire.
Aberdeen FC’s partnership with activpayroll continued with the installation of a brand new tunnel ahead of our recent match against Hamilton Accies at Pittodrie. The tunnel, sponsored by activpayroll, is pictured above with Ally Prockter, Sian Odgers (activpayroll’s Business Services Director), Russell Anderson, Federica Monacelli (activpayroll’s PR & Marketing Executive) and George Yule. Aberdeenshire Champions Board Event for Young Persons in Care On 4th December, 80+ young persons ‘in care’ and their carers attended an event organised by Aberdeenshire Council and held in the AAM Suite. The day’s activities were delivered to provide the young people with the opportunity to ‘have a voice’ in their own care and development, and was supported by Central Coaches, AFC, Sodexo and AFC Community Trust. AFCCT has been invited to sit on the resultant ‘Champions Board’ which will assist in supporting and progressing future opportunities for children in care in Aberdeenshire.
