Wales & West Utilities backs Camrose Under 13s Girls’ football tour to Portugal
Wales & West Utilities is throwing its weight behind the Camrose Girls’ football team with a financial contribution to support their football and cultural exchange trip to Portugal.
The girls’ team, which has been busy fundraising for the trip over the past five months, has set off today to tour Portugal during the Easter holidays as part of a programme funded by Taith, the Welsh Government’s international learning exchange scheme.
During the trip, the 24 players aged 11-14 will participate in two social events with their host clubs, play two matches per team, attend a coaching session with Benfica, and watch a professional football match.
The tour focuses on collaboration, cultural exchange and personal development, and uses football as a way to connect young people from different backgrounds. With around 40 per cent of the players and coaches from Camrose being from underrepresented groups, including young people from low-income families, young carers, those in care, and ethnic minority backgrounds, this trip is hoped to be a memory for life for many.
Although the tour is supported by Taith funding, the donation from Wales & West Utilities has gone some way to helping the team meet its target of raising an additional £3,000 to cover remaining costs and to purchase a dedicated tour kit, which will be used both for safeguarding in busy areas and when playing matches.
Support from Wales & West Utilities has helped reduce the financial pressure on families and ensure more young players can take part in what promises to be a memorable and life-changing experience both on and off the pitch.
Joanne Battelley, volunteer coach from Camrose AFC, said:
“We are incredibly grateful to Wales & West Utilities for their support.
“This tour is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our girls, both on and off the pitch. Having the support and generosity from Wales & West Utilities helps make it possible for more of our players to take part and gain confidence, new skills, and unforgettable memories.”
Bethan Jones, Head of People & Customer Experience at Wales & West Utilities said:
“We are thrilled to support Camrose Girls in this exciting opportunity.
“Football is about more than just the game – this trip is about teamwork, personal development, confidence and cultural exchange, and we hope our contribution helps this group of young players enjoy this life-changing experience.”
Wales & West Utilities is the gas emergency and pipeline service, delivering energy to over 7.5 million people across Wales and the south west of England. We don’t sell gas; we transport it through an extensive underground network of more than 35,000 kilometres of pipes.