How AITC is supporting people through the cost of living crisis
With inflation on the rise and energy costs soaring, millions of people across the UK are feeling the bite during this cost of living crisis.
At Albion in the Community we’re acutely aware that many of the people we work with will be struggling financially this winter.
Football is the people’s game, and we want to do as much as we can to bring the game to everybody.
With that in mind, we would like to take the opportunity to highlight the support we have available for local people during this cost of living crisis – whether that be through free football sessions, healthy meals, or financial assistance.
Holiday, Activities and Food programme (HAF)
HAF is a government-funded programme for children from lower-income households. Any school-aged child who receives free school meals is eligible for the programme.
Thanks to our HAF funding we’re able to offer a number of free places in our paid-for activities, giving kids from all backgrounds the chance to take part and enjoy a healthy lunch.
We have free HAF spaces available in the following programmes:
- Brighton & Hove Albion Soccer Schools (includes packed lunch)
- Gully’s Holiday Activity Camp (includes healthy breakfast and lunch)
If you are already part of the HAF scheme you can apply for places on our activities through your local council.
If you think you may be eligible for this programme but aren’t yet receiving free school meals, you can apply to your local authority here:
AITC Financial Support
We can provide support for participants who may not be able to attend our sessions because they face a financial barrier.
Therefore, a small percentage of places at our paid-for activities are held back for children in greater need who require financial assistance to attend the sessions.
We believe that our fees should not present a barrier to participants who are able to benefit from the opportunities that we offer, especially during when times are tough.
You can apply for support by filling in our Financial Support Form.
Free football for kids – Premier League Kicks
Besides our paid-for activities, we also deliver free community football sessions all over Sussex.
Hundreds of young people regularly take part in our Premier League Kicks sessions: weekly football training and mentoring held at venues across Sussex, targeting areas of high need.
Through Premier League Kicks we hope to bring free football to as many kids in Sussex as we can – helping kids get active, make friends, and keep busy after school.
As part of this project, teenagers can also take part in a programme called Top Bins, which gives them targets to work towards to help them become positive members of their local communities.
Kids at Premier League Kicks have also been offered free football boots after we collected more than 300 pairs during an appeal last season, including some from our first team stars.
We run Premier League Kicks sessions all over East and West Sussex. You can sign up for one near you here.
We also offer a number of free programmes aimed at adults:
- Brighter Outlook – a health and fitness programme for people before, during, and after cancer treatment
- Family Learning & Early Years – basic numeracy sessions aimed at getting parents confident in helping their children with maths
- More Than Football – football sessions for men aged 30-50 struggling with their mental health
Healthy recipes on a budget – from AITC nutritionist Mari and Albion Head Chef Danny
Nutrition is an important part of football, but even more important in everyday life.
We’re lucky enough to have some nutrition experts in both the club and the charity, who have put together a series of healthy, tasty recipes that you can make on a budget.
From tasty snacks to meals that will fill the whole family, you can find a whole range of healthy dishes in our list of recipes.
Click the links below to see our range of 29 tasty recipes.
Chicken and Mango Pockets recipe