Cash boost for deaf football coaches
Deaf footballers in Exeter hoping to become coaches have been given a £1,000 boost to help pay for sign language interpreters.
Exeter City Football in the Community have a deaf football team known as Exeter City Knights who train weekly and play in monthly Ability Counts tournaments.
Some of the players are keen to become coaches but need support to take the FA courses.
Housebuilder Persimmon Homes South West has stepped in with a £1,000 donation to help pay for two sign language interpreters to translate alongside FA Tutors during the course.
Will Allan, the club’s disability officer, said: “We are extremely grateful to Persimmon Homes for this generous donation.
“This money, alongside support from Devon County FA, will enable us to employ sign language interpreters for the entire 40-hour FA Level 1 course.
“Two of the newly-qualified deaf coaches will take over the running of the Exeter City Knights adult team while a further two will set up a new junior deaf team in Exeter.
“It’s fantastic that a large business like Persimmon Homes is willing to help us in this way.”
The donation comes as part of Persimmon Homes’ Community Champions scheme. Each month, the national housebuilder donates up to £2,000 to community groups and good causes in every one its 29 regional business. That’s a total of almost £700,000 a year.
Groups apply for funding by visiting www.persimmonhomes.com/charity and then it’s down to Persimmon’s managing directors to select their winners.
Nina Hester, sales and marketing director at Persimmon Homes South West, said: “We’re delighted to be able to make this donation to Exeter City Football in the Community.
“Coaching courses are limited for deaf people. This money will help them reach their goal of becoming coaches and then working with other deaf youngsters.
“We are an Exeter-based company and we have invested heavily in the city in recent years with hundreds of new homes. This is another way to support the community.”
Persimmon Homes currently has homes for sale in Exeter at Hill Barton Vale on Hill Barton Road and at Galileo in Cranbrook.
For more information visit www.persimmonhomes.com
