Over 200 school children from East London schools attended the Lloyd’s Football Cup at Leyton Orient’s community sports ground on Friday 20 June 2008, thanks to the support of Lloyd’s Community Programme.
Lloyd’s Community Programme organised the event for the ten schools with the support of Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership, Inspire! The Education Business Partnership for Hackney and Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme.
To ensure the children were prepared for the tournament, 24 volunteers from companies in the Lloyd’s market volunteered to provide football coaching at the East London schools prior to the event.
The keen volunteers also helped out on the day by providing coaching tips and refereeing the matches. This was the first time Alex Wright from AON had taken part in the annual tournament and he coached the girls' and boys' teams from Sebright Primary School prior to the tournament.
Alex commented to lloyds.com: “It was a really good day and watching the team from Sebright win the girls tournament was the icing on the cake. Although the win was down to the hard work of the girls, the coaching before the event helped and we gave them lots of support and encouragement on the day. I was very sorry that the Sebright boys did not win as they put in loads of effort but on the flip side, the girls were brilliant and thoroughly deserved to win!”
Peter Hartley from Spectrum Syndicate Management was a referee at the tournament and awarded the prizes to the winning teams from the primary schools. Peter said: “Having just completed my 50th season of soccer refereeing it was a pleasure to officiate in the Lloyd’s Football Cup tournament. The children were all impeccably behaved and it was an honour to be asked to present the awards at the end of the tournament.”
The team from Sebright School in Hackney were thrilled to be awarded the winners of the girls’ tournament and the team from Holmleigh School, Hackney won the boys’ tournament. The Fairplay award went to Ben Jonson School for the girls and Stewart Headlam for boys, both from Tower Hamlets.
After the tournament, the volunteers took part in an impromptu football match with members of Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme team, with victory going to Lloyd’s Community Programme volunteers.
To find out more about the innovative Lloyd’s Community Programme which works to improve the opportunities and environment for the community of East London, click on the link to right of page.
