"Phil Neal, together with members of the Liverpool FC International Academy will lead BritCham`s `Giving Kids A Sporting Chance` Community Finals Day at the GOR Soemantri Soccer Stadium," said a press statement of the British embassy in Jakarta, Saturday.
The event is the final of a football league run over six months and including 200 schools from poorer, rural areas of West Java.
All 3000 kids, aged 7-11, who have participated over the previous months will create a party atmosphere for the finals being played off between the four top schools.
At the same venue BritCham has teamed up with the British Embassy to provide children with the opportunity for LFC Academy?supervised coaching clinics. The children are drawn from the league, from local soccer schools including Muhammadiyah elementary school, which the Embassy has had successful projects in the past.
"Indonesia and the UK share a huge passion for football and sport is a great way of bringing people together. We are delighted that Phil Neal is visiting Jakarta to take part in BritCham`s `Giving Kids A Sporting Chance` Community Finals Day where he will also be giving a coaching clinics for students of various schools such as Muhammadiyah, who we work with on a range of interfaith and educational activities. They will get the chance to play together and receive top quality training. I know that the students are very excited about this event and hope they can also use the opportunity to build links with their peers from different schools across the city," British Charge D`Affaires Alison Blackburne said in the press statement.
The BritCham programme is in its fourth year after starting small and with only 100 kids involved. Now its reach has grown to a massive 3000 kids who have little opportunity for organized sporting activities.
"There can be no doubt as to the draw and influence of football in the lives of younger impressionable kids. We are delighted that the English Premier League has such prominence in Indonesia and that EPL club icons such as Liverpool have the vision and responsibility to support our `Giving Kids A Sporting Chance` programme," Chris Wren, Executive Director of BritCham said.
This third Liverpool FC International Academy Soccer Schools visit in 12 months coincides with the announcement to establish a permanent academy, nationwide soccer schools network and a branded Junior league in Indonesia- its first outside Europe. BritCham has played a major facilitation role and the signing will be commemorated at a separate Charity Gala event later on Saturday evening.
(Tx.F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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