On Saturday 3 February, Aylesbury United Football Club – the Ducks – who this season are supporting our work with Aylesbury Vale’s 13-25 year olds, invited their players, directors and fans to bring food or money donations to the game against Biggleswade Town.

The Ducks might not have won the match – see match report here – but they won our hearts, donating more than 20 bags of food for our youth food bank, plus over £50 in loose change.  

The opportunity to raise awareness of our work is equally important as the food and money donated. Our thanks to Andy Martin, Director and Chair of the Supporters’ Trust who arranged the event, and promoted it on BBC Three Counties Radio. In the pre-match interview Andy said “We are part of a community and it’s really important that as a club we support our community. We’ve raised over £12k for local good causes over the years, and already this season we’ve raised £1200 following our 20 mile sponsored walk in August.”

We would also like to thank Oya Emir-Wilson of Pebble Marketing, Simon Lacey of Oliver Lacey Cyber Security and two other AUFC directors who covered the cost of bringing young people to the match. For some, it was their first experience of a game at this level, and that’s what Youth Concern’s all about: giving young people opportunities they might not otherwise have.