THE community arm of Colchester United has been handed £300,000 to help youngsters get involved in football.

Colchester United Football in the Community is a not-for-profit organisation which offers a range of programmes from holiday clubs, to weight loss and social clubs to combat loneliness.

As part of its work it also runs two projects to help young people get involved in sport.

It has now been announced it has been handed £330,000 from the Premier League Charitable Foundation to keep running the project for another three years.

Its Premier League Primary Stars Programme has seen 4,165 pupils take part since 2016.

The programme also saw 220 teachers supported to learn how to deliver lessons.

Rick Goldsbrough, sport and education development officer with Colchester United’s Football in the Community, said: “To be given the opportunity to reach out and work with children and school staff in the community through Premier League Primary Stars for another three years is a real success.

“Our reading, maths, PSHE, SEN and PE projects allow us to use the power of football through Colchester United and the Premier League to engage with primary schools and offer additional learning and educational experiences to pupils and teachers.”

The team also deliver Premier League Kicks, a social inclusion project which provides sports sessions at no cost to the participants.

It aims to negate any barriers there may be with cost or access to facilities.

The sessions are predominantly football-based but the team also offer enrichment sessions, qualifications and volunteering opportunities as well the chance to represent Colchester United against other Kicks schemes.

Tom Tayler, Community Development Manager for Colchester United Football in the Community, added: “Our programme has had a fantastic impact on the communities we operate within and enabled us to forge new and strengthen partnerships currently in place with partner organisations.”

Primary schools interested in taking part should email Sam.Beavis@colchesterunited.net for further details.

Premier League Kicks sessions will begin from September.