THE CLARET MOUNTAINEERS

THE CLARET MOUNTAINEERS

Group who have benefitted from EFDN member Northampton Town FC Community Trust’s work now raising funds to support the Community Trust’s work.

An intrepid group of supporters will be taking on a mighty challenge in August with the aim of raising £5000 in aid of Northampton Town FC Community Trust.

The Claret Mountaineers Team is comprised of current and former participants of the Community Trust’s programmes who have benefitted greatly from the Health & Wellbeing and Disability Football projects that they run.

The group stated: “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to do our part as fans of the club and Community Trust to make a difference to people’s lives for the better. Charities across the country have been hit by the pandemic and we want to support Northampton Town FC Community Trust whose work has supported us all greatly over the past few years.”

All proceeds raised will go towards the Community Trust being able to set up and deliver further free health programmes (Fit Cobblers) around the county and to help provide more opportunities to children, young people and adults with disabilities such as Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and those who are deaf and partially sighted to engage in physical activity on a regular basis.

Andy Willis who is one of the Claret Mountaineers and also a volunteer for the Multi Disability Football club gave his account of how Northampton Town FC Community Trust programmes have helped him improves his mental health:

“Northampton Town FC Community Trust plays a very important role supporting the local community of Northampton and wider in the county, in so many ways, through various sporting and social connections. For my part I really value the mental health support the Community Trust provides to the community through its network of navigators and its a matter of record how important the disability football was to helping support my own recovery from severe mental illness.”

Joining him will also be Nic Pentelow, who is a recent participant on the Fit Cobblers programme. Nic joined our Fit Cobblers programme back in October 2020 in a bid to change his life for the better.

Nic previously led a very sedentary lifestyle and was worked long hours which made him unhappy and gain a substantial amount of weight. He decided that he would apply every bit energy to the 12-week programme and see what would happen after, as a result of the support of Northampton Town FC Community Trust staff and his family, Nic has lost over 20kg. He is enjoying life better by actively spending time with his family, prioritising himself through exercising regularly, eating healthier and turning exercise into family time.

Nic says “Fit Cobblers has made a huge impact on my life, I want to pay that back and help raise funds for the Community Trust in order for them to run more programmes, supporting more people in the local community.”

Not only that but Nic has faced Snowdon before and attempted to climb a couple years ago, before going through the Fit Cobblers programme. That attempt ended in disappointment, Nic didn’t manage to make it to the top and turned back. This time he is fitter, healthier and more determined to complete the challenge.

Andy and Nic will be joined for the climb on Saturday 14th August by 19 other participants which includes Northampton Town’s very own Russell Lewis.