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Launch of the new Soccer Fun Bus

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A new project under the A Chance To Play (ACTP) project umbrella (funded by VW Works Council through Terres des Hommes Germany) within United Through Sport South Africa is a real eye-catcher! The colorful Soccer Fun Bus was launched recently with qualified trainers and the necessary equipment on board to visit schools and other facilities in and around Port Elizabeth, offering sport and play opportunities for girls and boys. The physical activities are accompanied by special training sessions for children and young people on relevant topics such as HIV and AIDS, gender equality and self esteem and decision making. The initiative that also has support from Volkswagen South Africa, making the bus available, and the German State of Lower Saxony will reach out to more than 12000 children in 2010.

In recent months United Through Sport South Africa (UTS SA) has already visited some 30 schools in underdeveloped areas and presented different sports codes as part of an ACTP road show. Nick Mould, Director of UTS SA explained, “Thanks to the bus we can now broaden our impact and also visit other schools outside the Nelson Mandela Bay, we can now take our key life-skills curriculum to areas that seldom see any kind of intervention”.

DJs to Travel 23,000 Miles to 92 Football Grounds

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Local radio presenters Lee Partridge and Richard Williams have set themselves an incredible challenge in aid of United Through Sport – travel to all 92 English Football League and Premier League grounds in just one season!

The gargantuan trip will cover 23,000 miles, equivalent to once around the world, taking in six full days of football as they watch a match at each location. Watching 92 matches will be like two seasons in one!

Armed with a video camera and micropohone, Lee and Rich are targeting home fans outside grounds in order to record their unique view of their own clubs. Their interviews will then be broadcast on the Sports Bar show on TalkSport Radio with Andy Goldstein and Jason Cundy.

Fun Fayres Raise £200

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United Through Sport was represented at two local fayres over the August bank holiday weekend. Despite competing with the local attractions of duck and sheep racing, dog shows and a very busy ice-cream van, the charity still made nearly £200 selling soup recipe books and wristbands at the Chapel Row Fayre and Cold Ash Fete in West Berkshire.

Eleven lucky punters won a football or a rugby ball after generously donating £3 to buy a book. Many thanks to all those who supported the charity at the summer events. Thanks also to Dan, Denise, Dave and Pam for manning the stall over the weekend!

Law Firm Give £300 Raffle Prize

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On 2nd July 2009, law firm RadcliffesLeBrasseur held their annual summer event for staff. As part of the event, a raffle was held in aid of charity. A fantastic sum of over £300 was raised in aid of United Through Sport.

100% of the funds raised are to be dedicated to the School of Sporting Excellence in South Africa. Participants in the raffle were given details on what United Through Sport stand for and how the project is making a huge difference to kids in some of the poorest areas of Port Elizabeth.

United Through Sport would like to thank all at RadcliffesLeBrasseur for their warm generosity this summer!

Squash Marathon Raises £400

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On 30th May, Matt Burnett, a squash coach from Berkshire, played squash and racketball for 10 straight hours to raise funds for United Through Sport!

The marathon rally was a great event and raised a smashing sum of over £400 for the charity.

100% of the funds will be dedicated to the 2009 campaign to raise £40,000 for the School of Sporting Excellence in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Many thanks go to Matt and all those who sponsored his incredible effort!

Thames Valley Uni Teams Up

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It was students versus staff on the sports pitch this May as Thames Valley University held its annual Sports Challenge fundraiser in aid of United Through Sport.

Now in its second year, Sports Challenge is organised by TVU’s volunteering team to raise money for charity and also raise awareness of the University’s community work.

The one-day sports tournament, which has become a permanent fixture on the University’s events calendar, sees students compete against staff in netball, football and rugby. More than 100 students and staff from across the University’s campuses turned out for this year’s Sports Challenge, either to take part or to cheer their team along. The students emerged triumphant, with their teams winning the most games overall this year. Over £700 was raised for United Through Sport, through the tournament entrance fees and the sale of raffle tickets.

Local partners, including Brentford Football Club, London Welsh Dragons Rugby Club and Tesco Richmond, also lent their support to the day, donating raffle prizes and refreshments, while the University of Westminster provided the venue for the day.

Commenting on the event, Nav Sira, TVU Volunteering Coordinator, said, “I’ve been overwhelmed by the support from everyone, which has helped make this year’s event such a success and demonstrates a really positive attitude to volunteering. We’ve even set a new fundraising record for ourselves, which I look forward to us beating next year.”

The volunteering team co-ordinates a variety of community-focused projects. More than 200 TVU students take part in initiatives ranging from sports coaching for local children to peer mentoring projects with young offenders. These projects aim to improve the relations between students and local residents, help integrate students within the communities they live in and use students’ knowledge and skills to benefit local people.

Reading Run Raises Cash

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Many thanks to Katy Weaver who ran the Reading Half Marathon on 29th March in aid of United Through Sport.

Thanks to her efforts the charity received £160 in sponsorship. Thankfully she didn’t require the ambulance that she suggested she might need half-way through the course!

Ironmen Do It Themselves for £1,500

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On 10th December, four adventurers took to the desert of Dubai to take part in one of the most challenging Ironman tournaments in the world.

With a 3.8km swim followed by a 180km bike and then a 42km run, the unofficial ‘DIY Ironman’ is an incredible test of endurance in the unbelievable heat of the UAE.

Many thanks to Pascale, Wouter, Anne and Louise for their incredible effort, which raised nearly £1500 for United Through Sport.

Soup Book Released

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For their 2008 Christmas campaign, United Through Sport has produced a unique soup recipe book to support the South Africa School of Sporting Excellence in building a soup kitchen to feed all their students.

The aims of the school are to not only enhance sporting levels in football, netball and rugby but also to offer a fully rounded education to increase the choices available to these talented yet disadvantaged children. Students are given the kind of attention and education that is hard to achieve in a regular school, as well as additional life skills training in subjects such as HIV/AIDS awareness, alcohol and drug abuse and career guidance.

To support this great cause in South Africa, please buy a book! Even if you don’t like soup, these books make a great Christmas stocking filler for friends and family.

To buy a book, go to www.JustGiving.com/soupkitchen and follow the instructions.

Phil Races 370km for United Through Sport

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This year, Phil Hatzis ran, swam and cycled his way to 370km and nearly £1,200 for United Through Sport. The challenge involves completing a series of grueling sporting events starting with The London Marathon in April and culminating in the famous Ironman UK in September.

A first year engineer at Durham University, Phil has only recently taken up triathlons but was determined to rise to the challenge. “I have always enjoyed my sport; mainly rugby and tennis when I was younger through to cross-country running and triathlon now.”

The Ironman UK is a triathlon race and consists of a 2.4 mile open-water swim, 112 mile cycle and finishes with a marathon run of 26.2 miles. The time limit is 17 hours.

“Having been accepted in all these races through the ballots, I realised it was a great opportunity to raise a lot of money for charity. I chose to fundraise for United Through Sport as I have been to Africa and South America where I have seen children happily playing sport with whatever they could find. Sport has always been a large part of my life and I relish the opportunity to share my enjoyment of it through benefiting the lives of these children.”

Follow him on twitter here: twitter.com/philip_hatzis