Shrewsbury still at the heart of the community

Football might be on hold but, while the coronavirus threatens society as we know it, charities have redoubled efforts to serve those in need during demanding circumstances.

You need to look no further than the charity arm of Shrewsbury Town – the club’s In The Community partner, who might be down on manpower but are working around the clock to shine some light during uncertain times.

“We’ve had 12 staff remaining on full-time, working incredibly hard at bringing our activities to everyone,” explained head of the charity Jamie Edwards. “We needed to have an adjustment stage to change the way we deliver sessions due to not being able to get out and about.”

Given the charity engaged with 14,000 people last year, it has been a mammoth effort.

Charity staff, club staff, even first-team manager Sam Ricketts and hometown midfielder Dave Edwards have all pitched in. More than 300 phone calls have been made during the lockdown period to those vulnerable and in need of a friendly voice checking in.

The In The Community team have delivered more than 150 home information packs, staged two coffee mornings via video webchat app Zoom, are preparing to launch a six-week childhood obesity programme and even held a podcast promoting mental health with professional advice and the input of defender Omar Beckles.

Other Shrewsbury players have stood up to be counted.

Captain Ollie Norburn, Shaun Whalley, Callum Lang, Daniel Udoh and others have taken part in online PE and coaching sessions with the charity’s youngsters, bringing inspiring sessions to the living rooms and gardens of those isolating all over Shropshire.

Their input has not gone unnoticed. “I think in the long-term it’s probably done football a bit of good,” Edwards added. “Football and footballers had taken a bit of a battering, with certain people calling them out because some are paid more.

“But I think there’s been a realisation of how big football is in this country and this time has really highlighted the community work of clubs all over the country. All clubs have pulled together to do fantastic work.

“Instead of the unfair battering I think we should be promoting all of the good work that has gone on.

“To see Daniel Udoh running around his living room while on a video session with some of our young members was quite a sight. We send the squad a list of what is going on and they have done everything.

“We’ve tried to be different, so rather than just putting a video up (online) we’ve used ways to stream it live on social media, so up to 1,500 or 2,000 young people have been able to watch at a time.

“On a Friday night at 7pm Callum Lang was there on a video in one of our Premier League Kicks sessions, it’s priceless and helps keep spirits up.”

Shrewsbury Town In The Community has been constantly evolving during the coronavirus outbreak.

Edwards, who is based in south Shropshire, has led from the front as best possible while having to stay away from their usual base at Montgomery Waters Meadow – where a makeshift Covid-19 test centre currently sits just outside the Community headquarters.

Edwards has been holding almost daily online conference calls, which he confesses have been interesting and, at times, difficult.

The League One club and its charity partner recently combined to launch their latest big project, Shrews Family, as a direct response to tackle the pandemic.

With thanks to £8,000 funding from the Community Foundation, more than 200 tailored isolation packs – featuring puzzles or books and other essentials specific to each individual’s need – have been created and delivered to the most vulnerable under the charity’s watch.

As well as personal calls to those in need, ST ITC are hosting online support sessions for those suffering or living with cancer as part of their Kick Cancer project, where they work alongside Shropshire cancer charity, the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund.

Edwards said: “We made a motto with Shrews Family, to engage, support and activate.

“We’ve had more numbers participate in these sessions than in a whole year previously, so it’s been a real plus.

“The use of technology has gone up, especially with the elderly, who have almost been forced to adapt to technology and use FaceTime to see grandkids or set up an email address. It will help us engage with them in the long-term.”

Community chief Edwards explained how, after a group of elderly supporters and participants had grown concerned about one particular individual absent from sessions, one of the charity’s staff members travelled to their home to discover they had fallen and were safely recovering in hospital. The peace of mind offered to the group was rewarding to the community workers.

Shrewsbury chief executive Brian Caldwell admits the health scare has provided an opportunity for professional football clubs to repay those that support them week in, week out.

He said: “Shrews Family is a way to consolidate and co-ordinate all of the great work that is going on across the club.

“From Sam Ricketts and Dave Edwards making supportive calls, the academy opening up online resources to engage young footballers, to the community reinventing current delivery to support primary schools with online live lessons.

“All football clubs across the country rely on their local community for support year in year out, this is our chance to repay the support given to the club by helping where we can.”