In the early days of community schemes at professional football clubs, the simple remit was to provide football courses for youngsters and help strengthen bonds between club and community.
The concept has now evolved to such an extent that Exeter City Community Trust proudly calls itself Exeter’s leading health and wellbeing charity, working in partnership with Exeter City Football Club to provide programmes across East Devon.
The Trust has shown incredibly flexibility and determination through the Covid crisis, especially at Christmas, when hundreds of struggling local families were given additional support.
Over the two weeks leading up to Christmas, City Community Trust worked in partnership with the Exeter Festive appeal to hand out 400 food parcels, more than 300 books and over 150 toys to local schools.
As well as delivering parcels to schools, they held an open session at St James Park where people could drop in and collect food, gifts and books.
Jamie Vittles, chief executive of the Trust, said: “We had one grandmother come in who was moved to tears by the food and gifts we were able to provide.
“She had lost her job two months ago as a result of the pandemic, she was doing her best to support her daughter and grandchild and she said, although they had never had much, they had also never asked for anything or received support.
“She was really overwhelmed by the generosity of the donations and said it would make a massive difference to their family’s Christmas.
“This was the case with so many people who we helped – people who were struggling and worrying about how to give their families a decent Christmas. To be able to provide them food, gifts and books helped ease those worries a little for many people.”
The hard work of the Trust continues into the new year, as they are running virtual seated exercise classes, which are free sessions to help older people with mobility, aerobic and strengthening routines.
Full details of the Trust work can be found on www.exetercct.org or you can give the team a call on 01392 255611.