This Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion [February 12, 3pm KO] marks our annual Trust Awareness Matchday, where we highlight the hard work and impact of the Watford FC Community Sports & Education Trust in our local community.
The Trust’s various programmes cater to and support more than 150,000 people annually of all ages in and around the Hertfordshire area, in schools, sports clubs and social areas.
The vision of the Trust is to ‘improve lives, enhance communities’ and they aim to ‘make a positive difference for all through sport, physical activity and learning’, developing a strong track record of delivering high quality community-based initiatives and services.
The work focuses on three priority areas: Health & Wellbeing, Learning & Skills, and Social Inclusion, alongside a core theme of work in Football and Sports Development. These are all underpinned by a promise to deliver accessible opportunities.
Match-Worn Shirt Auction
As part of the Trust Matchday, supporters have a chance to win an auctioned match-worn shirt, with proceeds supporting the Trust.
All of Watford’s match-worn shirts from the Brighton game will be put up for auction, providing supporters with the chance to bid in real time. After the final whistle, the shirts will be signed by the respective players, solidifying them as unmatched pieces of sporting memorabilia and exceptional collector’s items.
The exclusive shirts will be open for bids from kick-off at 3pm on February 12 via the MatchWornShirt platform, and will be available until 2pm on February 19.
All you need to do to participate in the auction is head over to www.matchwornshirt.com/club/watford/1358, select your favourite shirt and place your bid - it’s as simple as that! The person with the highest bid at the end of the auction will have secured a historic piece of Watford FC!
Watford FC CSE Trust - A Timeline
The rich history of the Trust, and Watford FC's commitment to supporting the local community, goes back further than its registration as a charity in 2004.
1977:
Sir Elton John appointed Graham Taylor OBE as Watford FC Manager. Here Graham’s concept of football ingrained within its community took shape and built the foundations of what the Trust is now, giving us a continuing legacy to aspire to. Initiatives such as the family enclosure, player appearances in the community, and Junior Hornets will always be remembered and honoured as key milestones.
1992:
John McDermott was appointed as Watford FC’s first ever Community Officer. While things may have looked a little different back then, with a focus on football opportunities alone, this was just the start of the Trust's journey to engage, inspire and empower our communities.
2004:
Watford Football Club’s Community Sports and Education Trust was officially established as a registered charity. This change allowed the Trust to widen their reach and with it, increase the impact on those that needed us most. It was clear, the Trust's work was more than football alone.
2012:
Cedars Youth & Community Centre was officially opened by Graham Taylor OBE. This investment of £4.2 million helped the Trust to bring their community outreach directly to those who needed us; in this case it was Harrow, and it quickly reaped the benefits with the work contributing to a 37.5% reduction in anti-social behaviour within the first year of operation.
2016:
Graham Taylor OBE gets his ribbon-cutting scissors ready once again, this time as Meriden Community Centre reopened after a nearly £2 million refurbishment. North Watford became the second Community Trust base with this hub, and later a brand new early years play area was added to a centre that engages young and old, in a host of diversionary, educational and social activities.
2017:
Heritage Lottery Fund enabled the Trust to celebrate their 25th year anniversary in style, with a limited-edition book compiling years of delivery and success, an exhibition at Watford Museum, website, charity matchday including former players and celebrities, as well as a gala dinner at Harry Potter studios in Leavesden.
The Trust Look Ahead:
While we should and will look back on the successes of our past and learn from our experiences, it is also important to look ahead, and we are already doing just that. This year will see the launch of our first ever fundraising trek for the whole family to get involved in (watch this space!), and 2023 will bring in a new strategy to outline our plans to tackle current societal challenges and ultimately make a positive difference to the lives of those who need us.
You can find information about all of the Trust's beneficial and enriching programmes on their website HERE.
One of the Trust's staple programmes, Golden Memories, received widespread attention earlier this season, earning praise for supportive care towards people living with dementia.
Other vital programmes include PL Kicks, NCS, and Active Watford & Three Rivers.
