Our annual Soccer Sevens Competition has a new sponsor, a new name, and a new goal of supporting the STV Children’s Appeal.
Open to teams from Primary 6 and 7 year groups the popular juniors’ Soccer Sevens tournament for all schools in Scotland demonstrates SSFA’s commitment to encouraging children throughout the country to play football as part of their physical, social and emotional wellbeing.
Following SSFA’s recently-signed sponsorship agreement with digital print and document technology specialist, Concept Group Ltd (part of the Xerox Company), next year’s tournament has been named the Concept Soccer Sevens 2018/19.
Forms have now been sent to Primary schools throughout Scotland, so pupils speak to your teachers about entering for next year.
To enable the Concept Soccer Sevens 2018/19 to not only benefit the children taking part, but also have a wider positive impact, the tournament will include a charitable element for the first time; it will raise funds for the STV Children’s Appeal.
The STV Children’s Appeal helps children and young people affected by poverty in Scotland. Every single penny raised for it stays in Scotland – 100% of donations is invested in charities and projects across the country as all of its overheads are met by STV and The Hunter Foundation.
Through its partnership with the STV Children’s Appeal, the Concept Soccer Sevens 2018/19 will help make a real difference to children and young people experiencing hardship in communities all over Scotland. That means schools participating in the tournament will be able to play an important part in supporting the Appeal’s efforts to offer practical help like providing food and clothing, creating training opportunities to improve employability, and enabling social and emotional support.
Concept Group Marketing Manager Rod Smith said: “Concept Group is extremely proud to be sponsoring SSFA’s fantastic schools’ soccer tournament and support the STV Children’s Appeal for the first time this year. The wonderful work the charity has achieved in helping improve the lives of Scottish children living in poverty is one which is close to the hearts of all our employees so we didn’t need to think twice when asked to be involved.”
We have contacted every school in Scotland to invite them to participate in the Concept Soccer Sevens 2018/19 by entering teams and getting them – and perhaps their year-group peers or other classes in their school – involved in fundraising for the STV Children’s Appeal. SSFA is suggesting each school taking part in the tournament raises a minimum of £100 for the charity.
Elizabeth Partyka of the STV Children’s Appeal said: “We are extremely grateful to both SSFA and Concept Group for making the STV Children’s Appeal the charity partner of the Concept Soccer Sevens 2018/19. It’s fantastic that this popular tournament which supports the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of the children taking part will at the same time help them to make a positive impact on the lives of other young people who are less fortunate.”
Celebrating the launch of the Concept Soccer Sevens 2018/19 at Scotland’s National Stadium, Hampden Park, were pupils from the P7 football team at Holy Cross Primary in Croy, North Lanarkshire, and St Mirren player Myles Hippolyte. Winger Myles joined the Buddies at the end of January after being signed from Scottish Championship rivals Falkirk.
Myles Hippolyte said: “SSFA does so much to develop football in Scotland and its annual schools’ tournament plays a really important part in that by introducing so many boys and girls to the game.
“Providing opportunities to get involved in the sport is all about improving young lives, so it’s great that the impact of this year’s tournament will reach even further and the Concept Soccer Sevens 2018/19 will be helping kids coping with difficult circumstances. So whatever the final scores may be and whoever the winners are, I think this year’s tournament will be the best yet.”
Here’s a message from a well-known supporter of both the Concept Soccer Sevens 2018/19 and the STV Children’s Appeal:
