The Queen's Park FC Foundation Newsletter - 4th Edition

Hi folks! It’s an exciting time for the Queen’s Park FC Foundation as we are continuing to grow from strength to strength in all departments, both on and off-field! This edition of the Newsletter is packed full of info about our Kiltwalk Journey which you can get involved in, updates on our programmes and new initiatives, exciting news regarding our volunteers and community teams, and much more!

Kiltwalk

Volunteers

Staff and Volunteers at the Queen’s Park FC Foundation are taking on “The Big Stroll”, that’s 14 miles, at this year’s Kiltwalk on Sunday 28th April to raise funds for supporting the amazing work we do here at the Foundation. We have no doubt it will be a testing, strenuous endeavour but an incredibly worthwhile one which we are really looking forward to as a team.

Can you help? We would appreciate your support in any way possible:
You can sponsor the team by following this link here https://www.justgiving.com/team/qpfcfkiltwalk2024 .

You can support further by then sharing this link amongst your networks too and help us raise as much money as we can!

If you feel up for the challenge yourself, why not sign up to the Kiltwalk and join our team on the day? The Big Stroll is open to aged 10+ and a family friendly event https://www.thekiltwalk.co.uk/events/glasgow

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you want more information or plan to join our team foundation.programmes@queensparkfc.co.uk We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

QPFCF Community Development Manager Jade West said:

“This is an exciting fundraising event for us. Having done the Kiltwalk a few years ago for a previous charity I worked with, I already know how much fun we will have, and how supported we will be on the day to get through the walk. It’s a great chance to grow even closer as a team and help one another through while supporting our beloved charity, and hopefully raising lots of money for Queen’s park FC Foundation. The Kiltwalk is a well-planned event, and there are always folk at the sidelines cheering you on, along with your team. We will be in no rush and will stick together as a team to push through. I am looking forward to it, and to see how we do in terms of fundraising. It will be another great achievement for the Foundation and Community when we meet the finish line.“

We’re grateful for the support again this year from Laurie Ross Mount Florida Branch for naming us their charity of the year again and fundraising for the Foundation with some of the team joining ours for the Kiltwalk.

Over the past few months, the Queen’s Park FC Foundation has embarked on a journey of welcoming passionate volunteers into various roles spanning all of our departments: Education, Community Development, and Community Football.

Our dedicated team has grown to encompass 25 industrious volunteers who have proven instrumental in propelling our foundation to new heights. Whether it’s adding vibrancy to community football events, crafting innovative Yoga lesson plans for our Playing for Success sessions, or providing unwavering support to our Foundation staff, each volunteer has left an indelible mark on our endeavours.

Since the onboarding of this core team of volunteers we have conducted our first volunteer training session, providing information and guidance on modelling professionalism, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and the Foundation’s mission and aim.

The entire Foundation staff extends a heartfelt thank you to every volunteer, acknowledging the significance of every contribution, no matter how small or large.

As we continue to thrive and expand our initiatives, we eagerly invite like-minded individuals to join our mission.

If you share our passion for community enrichment and are ready to make a positive impact, we warmly invite you to explore volunteering opportunities with the Queen’s Park FC Foundation. We look forward to hearing from potential candidates and are more than happy to provide further information or assistance should it be required. Please contact us at the link provided:

foundation.programmes@queensparkfc.co.uk

Playmakers

We are delighted to be running UEFA/Disney Playmakers in St Fillan’s PS and Mount Florida PS, this term.

Our P2 Playmaker girls are enjoying voyaging along with Moana, using both their imagination and physical skills to practise early football skills while helping Moana on her journey to restore the heart of Te Fiti.

Disney Playmakers is a UEFA initiative, inspired by Disney, and delivered in collaboration with the SFA.

Spider Tots

Spider Tots is a new programme from the Foundation, with a keen focus on helping young children between the ages of 18 months – 4 years take their first steps into the world of sport.

The programme will be split into two afternoon sessions with the session one (1:10-1:40PM) being for 18 months – 2 and a half years, running for 30 minutes. Session two (1:50-2:35PM) being 2 – 4 years and running for 45 minutes. Between each class we have a 6-month age buffer in place which is for parent/guardian discretion, should they feel, their child may be more suited to a different session.

The programme is based at Clincarthill Parish Church and will run every Monday.

The aim of the sessions is to help young children build confidence and develop fine motor skills, balance, coordination, whilst having fun and making friends along the way.

If you would like to register interest for this programme or for additional information, please contact us: foundation.football@queensparkfc.co.uk

SFA Club Accreditation Award - Gold achieved!

We are excited to announce yet another significant milestone in our Community Teams’ journey! Through months of hard work behind the scenes, we’ve proudly attained the Gold accreditation from the SFA club accreditation scheme, a testament to our continually improving structure, administration, planning, and commitment to player welfare.

Queen’s Park FC Foundation General Manager, Chris Priestley shared the following on this exciting milestone:

“What an achievement! I am incredibly proud of John and the team for putting everything in place to achieve this award. It recognises and celebrates the excellence that I have already seen on and off the pitch at our community football. I know I speak for everyone at the Foundation when I say this would not have been possible without so many acts of support, sacrifice, and dedication from our players, their families, and our coaches. It is the great people involved in community football that embody this gold standard.

We are also grateful to the team at SFA West for their support in undertaking this process and their recognition that Queen’s Park FC Foundation’s Community Football is deserving of this status. As we celebrate the gold accreditation and all the great things it recognises and represents, I also want to acknowledge there are things that we can and will do better and I can promise that our commitment to excellence doesn’t stop here.

Looking ahead, besides many of the changes and improvements we are working towards, we will also work to maintain gold accreditation and set our sights on Platinum, the highest level available. We believe that with the continued support of our community, players, families, and supporters we can go still further to elevate our standards and strive for excellence, on and off the pitch.”

Community Teams - Kit Update

The QPFC Foundation is thrilled to share the exciting news that our community teams have successfully received their meticulously crafted, custom-designed kits through collaboration with our steadfast partner, Macron.

These bespoke kits, designed specifically for our community teams, embody a unique blend of style and functionality, reflecting the essence of the Queen’s Park FC and our famous and historic black and white hoops.

We take pride in knowing that these distinctive uniforms will be proudly worn by over 140 boys and girls across our community teams, symbolising unity and a shared commitment and professionalism to our collective goals.

The Foundation would like to thank the players, parents, guardians, and coaching staff for their continual support of our community teams, and we can’t wait to see our Spiders out on the pitch!

John McNeil, Football Development Manager, would like to thank everyone involved:

“We are absolutely delighted with how our new kits have turned out, receiving fantastic feedback from the players and parents we have spoken with. It has been truly special seeing all the players in their new kits and we can’t wait to see the spiders represented in our traditional hoops in the weeks and months to come.”