Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and the Fulham Football Club Foundation collaborate with the Danny Fullbrook Fearless Foundation

London, 22^nd April 2013: In May 2013, a new charity is being launched to honour the memory of Danny Fullbrook, former chief football reporter for the Daily Star. The Danny Fullbrook Fearless Foundation has been set up to inspire young people through sport and education and will officially launch on 23^rd May 2013, with a ball at The Hurlingham Club, London.

One of journalism’s best loved characters, Danny was well known both as a writer and as a regular spokesperson on the Sunday Supplement, talkSPORT and Radio 5 Live’s 606 show. He also co-wrote a number of books on football including one on his beloved Fulham FC. He was a larger than life character, which earned himself the nickname ‘frank and fearless’ and had a great passion for every project he undertook. Danny sadly passed away last June at the age of 40 after an 18-month battle with cancer.

The Fearless Foundation aims to follow in Danny’s footsteps and enable young people to live life fearlessly and realise their potential through pathways into grass-roots sports or education. The charity will work hand in hand with local community organisations to expand and build on existing projects to provide young people with a variety of ‘rung on the ladder’ opportunities along their own individual journeys.

The Foundation’s initial project: Fearless Coaches, is being rolled-out in conjunction with the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and the Fulham Football Club Foundation. Through these partnerships, the Fearless Foundation will train a number of new Fearless Coaches. These coaches are likely to be 16-25 year olds who are Not in Employment, Education or Training and have come directly from existing community projects including; Fulham’s ‘My Future Goal’ and Brentford’s ‘Kickz’ programme.

The Fearless Coaches will be supporting the expansion of the primary schools sports programmes to enable 6-11 year olds to participate in organised sport. Initially targeting up to 40 schools in some West London boroughs including Lambeth, Merton, Hounslow and Ealing, they aim to reach 3000 children providing them multi-sports sessions encompassing the school sports curriculum. The longer-term goal of the charity is to roll out this programme into other London boroughs and beyond.

To launch the charity, Danny Fullbrook’s Fearless Foundation Ball is being held, hosted by BBC 5Live’s Mark Chapman, who was a good friend of Danny’s, with guest speakers including Harry Redknapp.  The ball will be an evening of celebration of Danny’s life and the legacy he will leave through the creation of the charity.

Mark Dickinson, Chairman of the charity committee and long-time friend of Danny’s said, “Danny would have been extremely excited by this important project; giving children opportunities to get involved in sports, while at the same time providing ‘rung on the ladder’ opportunities for those not in education, employment or training, fits perfectly with Danny’s passionate determination to help others fearless pursue their dreams.”

Josephine Fullbrook, Danny’s sister said; “Danny was a big character with an even bigger heart. By helping young people to follow their dreams I know we’re doing something that would not only have his blessing but would also make him very proud.”

For more information on the Danny Fullbrook Fearless Foundation please visit www.thefearlessfoundation.com and to book tickets to the Ball call 0208 704 4141 or email fearless@fireball.co.uk.

 

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For more information please contact Jo Pockett, Speed Communications. jo.pockett@speedcommunications.com 0207 842 3261

Notes to editors:

 

About Brentford FC Community Sports Trust

The Brentford FC Football in the Community Programme, established in 1987, was amongst the pioneering programmes aimed at engaging football clubs with their communities. Twenty six years on and the Trust, four times winners of the Football League Community Club of the Year award, is now employing 27 full time staff and over 50 part time coaches whilst reaching in excess of 27,000 participants per year. Its portfolio offers 178 projects across four key area – sports participation, health, education and social inclusion. Now into its 8th year as a Charitable Sports Trust it continues to develop as one of the leading providers of sports, education and career opportunities in West London. It is about more than just football, the Brentford FC Football in the Community Programme is about participation, inclusion and engagement offering a portfolio of programmes that educate, motivate, involve and inspire.

About Fulham Football Club Foundation

Fulham Football Club Foundation is a leading community sport charity that aims to build better lives through sport. It uses the power of sport to deliver a variety of inspiring education, health, disability, social inclusion and football programmes in the community. As the Club’s own registered charity, it has played a key role in its community for over 20 years, employing over 100 full-time, part-time and sessional staff based from its Motspur Park office. Its work aims to ‘build better lives through sport’ and it continues to pioneer innovative, engaging and inspiring programmes for many hard to reach and disadvantaged young people in the local community.