KICK! FUNDRAISER ENCOURAGES SCHOOLS TO SHOW OFF SKILLS IN AID OF CLIC SARGENT

World champion freestyle footballer John Farnworth is encouraging schools and groups across the UK to show off their students’ skills as part of CLIC Sargent’s Kick! campaign this summer.

Football fans at Northdown Primary School in Kent took part in an exclusive skills session at the London Soccer Dome led by John, which helped to launch the annual football fundraising campaign for CLIC Sargent, the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people. John gave students some top tips on perfecting core skills such as keepy-uppies and Mark ‘Chappers’ Chapman, CLIC Sargent patron and BBC Five Live presenter, joined pupils to help create a video of the event for Kick! participants.

Lisa Sparkes, sports coach at Northdown Primary School says: “We have had so much fun at John’s skills session and taking part in Kick! over the past few years. Through Kick! I have found that putting on your own event is a brilliant way to focus to bring your students together through football.

“I want to encourage as many people as possible to get behind CLIC Sargent’s Kick! campaign this year. My students had so much fun with the event and were given a real boost knowing the money they raised would go to help children and young people with cancer, and their families.”

Kick! is a fun football fundraising event for children and young people of all ages and abilities. Schools and groups are encouraged to hold their own football event, to help students learn new skills and get active to raise money for CLIC Sargent. More than 576,000 children have taken part in Kick! since the campaign launched in 2005 and over £880,000 has been raised to help children and young people with cancer to date.

Registration is now open for this year’s campaign with schools and youth football clubs encouraged to hold events between May and July 2011. Schools, groups and clubs have the option of keeping 25% of the funds raised to develop their own activities or facilities. CLIC Sargent provides a free event pack with everything teachers, coaches, and youth club leaders need to hold an event including fundraising tips, advice on how to get publicity for the event, event ideas and template certificates.

John Farnworth, winner of both the World and European Freestyle Championships, says: “I couldn’t perform my freestyle tricks if I didn’t regularly practise key skills like dribbling and headers and I’m delighted to share some of my tips to support CLIC Sargent’s Kick! campaign.

“From a simple sponsored kick-a-bout to perfect your passing, to a keepy-uppy rally, it’s really fun and easy to develop your skills and fundraise for charity at the same time. CLIC Sargent supports children and young people with cancer and by taking part in Kick!, you’ll be raising vital funds that help to support families across the UK” adds John.

For more information and to register your own event with Kick! – just visit www.clicsargent.org.uk/football or call 08451 20 22 32

To watch a video of the launch event click here.

About childhood cancer

Every day 10 children and young people are told they have cancer, and diagnosis usually comes as a shock. Treatment normally starts straightaway and can last up to three years. Although survival rates are over 70%, cancer remains the single largest cause of death from disease in children in the UK.

About CLIC Sargent

CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people. It provides clinical, practical and emotional support for young cancer patients and their families, from diagnosis onwards. For more information visit www.clicsargent.org.uk

Note to sub editors

Please note that the name ‘CLIC Sargent’ should not be abbreviated to CLIC, and that the word ‘CLIC’ should always appear in capitals, as above.