Welcome to the start of the new season, I hope that all our players, parents/guardians and all their relatives enjoy a successful season with Christchurch Youth. Let's hope the weather is kind to us (we don't have to postpone too many games until the end of the season), all matches are played in the kind of spirit we would like to see and that we support all the teams, including our opponents, and treat everybody with Respect and without Prejudice.

Our teams, once again will be wearing their shirts with pride in support of Julia's House (Dorset Children's Hospice) as we are hoping to raise monies again throughout the year for this worthy charity, if you can offer any support, make a donation or just help with fund-raising events, please contact me. I would like to thank our Club sponsor In-Excess for supporting the youth teams with this initiative. The support of In-Excess will also allow all our players, coaches and regular helpers to look smart, stay warm and dry with brand new training jackets this year and we are hoping to have these distributed by the end of September. Please look after these as they need to last for two seasons and we hope that after this time we will be able to deliver these to a charity that works with disadvantaged children in Africa.

I would like to inform everybody that all of our old kits going back many years will soon be arriving in Rwanda as part of an initiative with the Grange School in Christchurch and a charity working in Rwanda called Msaada, (in Swahili it means help), founded by the BBC reporter Fergal Keane who reported on the appalling genocide that took place in the country in 1994. These kits will go to many children who have little or nothing in the way of sports equipment or sporting goods and will I am sure be gratefully received. The Grange School are going out with a view to helping build a classroom at a designated school and deliver a life changing experience to those that are involved. If you would like to help support the Grange School with donations or equipment support please contact the school direct on www.grange.dorset.sch.uk or to contact the charity Msaada who are at www.msaada.org

Please note that the first matches for the Youth teams will be Sunday September 5th and that there will be a midweek game on the 7th September (Tuesday) with some of our teams playing away, please help us by getting your child to the agreed meeting point or football ground on time.

We are still looking for new players for some of our younger teams, under 6's, under 7's and under 8's as well as the under 14’s so if you know of anybody who might be interested in joining a friendly club please contact the Club Secretary (e mail address is on the Club website www.christchurchfc.co.uk If anybody wishes to help within the running of the Club or a particular team or just able to give lifts, erect goal nets or be an un-biased assistant referee running the line, please let me know, as volunteers are always welcome.

Have a great season and I look forward to meeting as many people as possible throughout the coming months.


Mark Duffy

Chairman (07505 370906)