Feature: The Manchester United Foundation in Partnership with Eccles Sixth Form College
21 August 2019
Engage, inspire, unite. That is the motto of the Manchester United Foundation, whose aim is to use football to help young people within the local area build better futures for themselves and unite the communities in which they live. Manchester United Football Club is one of the most well-known sporting teams in the world, and their Foundation is one of their biggest assets. In-turn, the Foundation has also become one of the college’s biggest assets, linking them exclusively to one of history’s most successful and famous football clubs.The Manchester United Foundation
Established in 2006, the Foundation was formed in celebration of Manchester United’s 50-year anniversary playing in European leagues. Over the past 13-years, they have grown to become one of
Greater Manchester’s most reputable charities, specifically supporting young people in the area and local communities as a whole.
The Foundation delivers a range of educational programmes and sets up charitable projects for the youth of Greater Manchester. These range from offering life-changing experiences, first-class skills training and football coaching, personal development support, and enriching opportunities.
Through football, they aim to encourage the young people they work with to develop not only as players, but more importantly, as people.
Eccles and MUFC Foundation
Eccles Sixth Form College takes a great deal of pride in their exclusive partnership with the Manchester United Foundation, specifically the unique opportunities the collaboration allows the college to offer their students. From trips to the AON Training Complex at Carrington and visits Old Trafford, to the opportunity to train with and learn from Manchester United first-team players and coaches, private stadium tours, first-class skills coaching, the opportunity to win and earn tickets to games and further opportunities to secure paid work at the ground.
In recent years, one lucky student was selected to be part of one of the Foundations special #UnitedandMe campaign and all students benefit from having a former Manchester United player,
Russell Beardsmore, as their very own coach.
Further to this, the programme gives talented and hard-working players from Eccles Sixth Form College the opportunity to play and develop their skills with UEFA qualified coaches. Players train four times per week and then compete in the AOC college league’s weekly fixtures.
This season’s exclusive opportunities to students included:
• Exclusive training sessions at the AON Training Complex at Carrington
• Introductions to current, first-team Manchester United players
• Matchday tickets are given for free as rewards
• Paid match day job roles are given to deserving Eccles students
• One-to-one coaching sessions with current first-team players
• Tuition towards elite FA coaching qualifications
• Competitions played in the full, official, Manchester United training kit
• Opportunities to play in Premier League tournament abroad
• Special guest speakers from world-class sporting professionals
#UnitedAndMe Campaign
Paula Conde, studying BTEC Sport at Eccles Sixth Form College, in partnership with the Manchester United Foundation, was lucky enough to be selected as one of the stars of their #UnitedandMe campaign.
The youngster, who dreams of becoming an international goalkeeper, was chosen to star in a short film with keeper, Sergio Romero, as part of the campaign, which was then featured on the Foundation’s website and social media channels.
Manchester United Treble Reunion Charity Match
Two lucky Eccles Sixth Form College sport and uniformed public services students were given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be trophy bearers at the 2019 Manchester United Treble Reunion Match.
The match, which saw United legends such as Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Teddy Sheringham and current manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, play against Bayern Munich legends, was held to raise money for the Foundation and raised over £1.5 million. The event was also in celebration of United’s treble win in anniversary, which happened a decade ago.
If you are a sports enthusiast and looking to study on a unique and elite course, then please contact the college's admissions team on 0161 631 5000, or by emailing admissions@salfordcc.ac.uk.