Story added: 21st March 2022

The Foundation's Down's Syndrome and education students enjoy friendly fixture at The Nest

To celebrate World Down’s Syndrome Day on Monday 21 March, students from the Foundation’s Football & Education programmes enjoyed a friendly fixture against their counterparts from the Norwich City Down’s Syndrome football team.

On a rainy Saturday morning on the Norfolk Hire Arena at The Nest, the two teams faced up against each other with the Down’s Syndrome team in City’s home shirts and the Football & Education team in City’s away strip.

The two teams played a high-spirited 40-minute game, cheered on by friends and family on the touchline.

The fixture forms part of the education course’s Community Experiences programme, which gives students the chance to gain life skills by meeting other participants from across the Foundation.

Stevie Bramble, Head of Curriculum, who took on touchline duties for the ‘away’ side, said:

“Unique community experiences such as this, help the students to develop key skills such as communication, teamwork and leadership.

“The students were a real credit to the programme, and it was rewarding to hear so many parents commenting on what positive role models the students were during the event.”

Lewis Sutton, a first-year student on the programme, said, “I absolutely loved it, it was a really worthwhile morning.  It was great bonding with the DS guys.”

Over 120 students are currently enrolled in the Foundation’s further education courses for 16 to 19 year-olds, which are run in collaboration with education partners The Wensum Trust.

The programmes, which include a male, female and Football Learning course, gives students the chance to study for a Cambridge National Extended Diploma in Sport while being immersed in a football environment at Norwich City Football Club.

The Foundation’s Down’s Syndrome football team train every Saturday morning at The Nest.

The team is supported through fundraising from events (why not Run Norwich for the Foundation this year?) and through donations (find out more about our monthly giving programme, City Giving).