VOLUNTEERS at Chester Football Club have come together to offer a community scheme for vulnerable people in their area

The initiative from the National League North club is now also being referred by agencies in the area that are struggling to cope with demand, as services include shopping deliveries and exercise packs for residents of all ages

Volunteers from the club have been praised for offering their support to the local community and supporting vulnerable residents during the current coronavirus pandemic.

The Chester FC Community Contact Initiative was launched to provide extra provisions in the city and is now a 20-strong team of volunteers offering practical help across all areas of the community.

They deliver shopping, pick up prescriptions and provide a befriending service over the phone to the many in need right now.

Starting with welfare calls to more than 400 of the club’s over-65 supporters, news of the scheme has now spread through the community with referrals coming through from agencies and care workers struggling to cope with demand.

The volunteers are also using their expert sport and fitness knowledge to offer tailored activity packs for all ages, including chair-based exercise packs for the elderly or immobile, as well as children’s home-learning activity packs covering Key Stage 1-2 English and Maths.

The team have so far helped more than 600 members of the Chester community.

Jim Green, chief executive of Chester FC Community Trust, has been getting stuck into volunteering, and said: “Isolation can be a lonely place so we’re doing all we can to offer a helping hand, whether that’s a listening ear down the phone, picking up some essentials from the supermarket, or delivering vital prescriptions, we’re here to support our community.

“It’s completely understandable that people are worried to leave their homes right now so, we’re working hard to deliver for as many people as possible, whilst keeping our own staff safe too.

“I’m glad that we’re able to take some of the strain off agencies and care workers in Chester who are being inundated with an exceptional demand for support at the moment. It’s been incredibly rewarding to help out so many members of our cherished community, and it’s great to be able to put some of our fitness knowledge to some good use right now.”

Chester Football Club’s first team players and staff recently donated their ‘players fine fund’ for the season to the Hospice of the Good Shepherd. The pot, topped up by joint managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley amounted to £1,000.

The start of the new season will see Chester FC move into the second year of a three-year deal, with its principal sponsor, MBNA. The Chester-based Banking experts have been pivotal to our fan-owned football club, supporting Chester FC since its reformation in 2010, and will continue to do so with a new record sponsorship deal – further underlying their commitment to the city and its community.

MBNA will maintain their support of the Chester FC First Team, but also the Women’s side and our Community Trust. They will remain on board to take their sponsorship until at least 2022.

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from the Chester FC Community Contact Initiative, please email community@chesterfc.com or call on 07512 355396.