News Item - News - Surrey Police

Football team takes off thanks to Thomas Cook airlines

Submitted: 30/05/2003 19:13:10

Some of the boys from the team in their kit, and in the front row PC Mark Waite, Thomas Cook's MD Glen Chipp, and Chief Superintendent Rob Price, also standing directly behind Glen is the team coach Steve Taylor.

The sky’s the limit for a team of football mad youngsters from Horley who have scored a winner thanks to sponsorship from Thomas Cook Airlines arranged by their local police officer.

PC Mark Waite has been working with teenagers on the Garden Estate to find ways of helping them stay out of trouble by giving them something they can get really enthusiastic about. He organised starting up a football team and Thomas Cook airlines generously agreed to supply 15 sets of full football kit as well as five footballs and a first aid kit.

He said:

“I am very grateful to Thomas Cook Airlines for helping these lads out. The team has shown that if you give them something they are really interested in and ask them to take responsibility for what they do they will come up with the goods. I have always told them I am here to help and advise but this is their team and they have to run it themselves, and they have risen to the challenge magnificently. This sponsorship means they will look the business and can take pride in themselves when they begin to make their mark on the Crawley Adult League, and they are really excited about the future. They have already played their first game and won 1-nil, so it’s looking good!

“I have had a lot of local residents come up to me and say there is a noticeable difference in their quality of life these days, and that it is a much nicer and quieter place to live. I am not saying that the boys on the team are troublemakers, but they have given all the youngsters on the estate excellent role models to look up to and all the others think they are really cool. I am very pleased with the success of the scheme and I would never have believed football could make such a difference.”

He added:

“I would like to thank everyone involved in this project. It is the goodwill of the local community which has helped us run it, including schools and parents. Oakwood school very kindly let us train there on Monday nights at reduced rates, and a local shopkeeper, Steve Taylor, has taken on the role of coach. He used to have some trouble in his shop but now he gets nothing but respect from the youngsters. I couldn’t have done it without him.”

Managing Director of Thomas Cook Airlines, Glen Chipp said:

“Being the largest leisure airline based at Gatwick we are delighted to be involved. It is very important to us as a business to support the local community in Horley and the surrounding area as many of our crews live close to the airport.”

He added:

“Everytime the lads wear the football kit they carry the good name of Thomas Cook onto the pitch - a name with 162-years of history - I have every confidence they will wear it with pride as “ambassadors” of Thomas Cook Airlines. We all wish them well in the local league and look forward to reading about them picking-up with cup.”

Surrey Police’s Divisional Commander for East Surrey Chief Superintendent Rob Price said:

“This is a really good example of what can be achieved when we work in partnership with local businesses, and I am sure the team will go from strength to strength.”

There are twenty youngsters aged between 10 and 20 years old currently involved in the team. They all pay £1 each time they meet and the money goes towards things like the entry costs for joining the Crawley Adult League, which is based at Crawley Leisure Centre. The team chose the League because it continues to play all through the summer holidays.

There are also currently plans to sort out a football pitch at Riverside Park away from local houses so that the youngsters can play whenever they like without disturbing residents. Horley Town Council are supporting the move and goal posts have been ordered.

For further information please contact the Divisional Press and Publicity Officer for East Surrey

E-mail: 8688@surrey.pnn.police.uk