Powering forward with cash boost

Middlesbrough Powerchair Football Club is celebrating after topping a public poll to get the biggest share of the £10,000 Goalden Giveaway ahead of nine other Teesside community champions.
Dozens of local charities, community groups and schools applied for Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation’s Boro-backed Giveaway, with the shortlist of ten charities encouraging their supporters to vote during a month-long poll.
The good cause with the most votes was Middlesbrough Powerchair Football Club, which is set to receive not only £2,500, but a visit from Boro boss Aitor Karanka.
The much-needed funds will cover hire and transport costs for powerchair football sessions in local schools, for children and young people with severe physical disabilities.
Cath McNicol of Middlesbrough Powerchair FC said the money means a big step forward in the club’s aim to take powerchair football into primary and secondary schools across Teesside.
“We are so excited!” said Cath. “£2,500 is fantastic. Ultimately, we’d love Teesside to have the UK’s first schools league for powerchair football. That would be incredible.
“Every child wants to be in the school team but I wasn’t able to represent my school in a team sport when I was young.
“I never experienced that great feeling of being part of a sports team. I think it’s so important to be part of a team and have something that’s a bit competitive.”
The club is planning to start contacting schools in the near future and looks forward to its visit from Aitor Karanka in the summer.
Also receiving a share of the cash will be:

• Teesside Samaritans – £1,500 to expand activities and raise its profile in local primary and secondary schools for its service providing support for those in emotional distress.
• Friends of Sedgefield Harriers – £1,000 towards building a new athletics track for athletes from Stockton, Hartlepool and Durham.
• Fresh Expressions – £1,000 to support a church youth group providing football, snooker, table tennis, air hockey, arts and crafts for 7 to 14 year-olds in Acklam and Linthorpe.
• The Applegarth Centre at Laurence Jackson School – £1,000 to provide physical activities for children with autism at an after-school club and purchase sensory equipment.
• Daisy Chain – £750 to provide activities for children with autism and respite for their families in Teesside.
• Child Deaf Youth Project – £750 to support running weekly North Ormesby youth clubs providing educational and social activities, with deaf youth workers.
• Impact Fitness Zone – £500 towards a new floor for the charity, which provides affordable kickboxing, dance, fitness and Olympic weightlifting classes for people in South Bank, Grangetown, Eston and Middlesbrough.
• Hartlepool Access Group – £500 to help cover the cost of providing a shopmobility scheme for people with disabilities and illnesses.
• Volunteer Fulcrum – £500 for specialist training for volunteers at a Middlesbrough-based charity tackling the effects that substance misuse has on people, children and families.

Foundation chairman, Andy Preston, said: “It was really difficult to draw up a shortlist from so many outstanding applications and I congratulate every one of the organisations that will benefit from a share of the money.
“It’s heartwarming to know that the Foundation is giving ten champions of the local community a real boost, as part of our ongoing commitment to making Teesside a better place in which to live, work and do business.”
A similar £10,000 giveaway by the Foundation in December saw money shared between Redcar Development Trust, the Sea Cadets, Tees Valley Wheelchair Sports Club, Middlesbrough District Scouts, Freebrough Academy, MAIN (Taking Autism Personally), The Unicorn Centre Riding for the Disabled, Middlesbrough Disabled Supporters Association and South Cleveland Heart Fund.