Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) recently welcomed 13 London clubs to Sparrows Lane for an action-packed Premier League Kicks regional qualifying tournament.
Clubs including Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham United competed alongside Charlton in both a mixed and a girls-only tournament. Watford emerged as winners in both categories, following competitive finals against Millwall. Midfielder Mary Bashford also attended the event and spent time with Charlton’s girls-only team. Charlton’s mixed team were awarded the mixed tournament’s Fair Play Award - this earned the Addicks a place in the national finals, which will be hosted at St George’s Park.
Away from the pitch, the teams also participated in three workshops surrounding the topics of anti-bullying with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, mental health awareness with Mika Motivation and crime reduction with the Metropolitan Police.
CACT’s Premier League Kicks and Mentoring Coordinator Josh Eales said: “We hosted the Premier League Kicks London qualifiers. We welcomed 13 London CCOs who brought more than 200 young people for a mixed tournament and girls-only tournament. The players engaged in football tournaments and three workshops throughout the day, which were designed to empower and raise the aspirations of the young people involved.”
Watch the video at the top of the page for a full rundown of the day.