A CHARITY which uses sport to improve the lives of people in the North-East has received a special royal visitor.

The Princess Royal visited MFC Foundation, the charity arm of Middlesbrough Football Club, at the Riverside Stadium yesterday to see some of their life-changing programmes in action.

The Princess began her tour by witnessing pupils from Northallerton School taking part in activities which encourage young people to engage in social action within their community.

 

The students completed a number of activities centring on personal and community profiling, combatting anti-social behaviour, and what it means to be a good and active citizen.

From the classroom to the pitch, the tour continued outside to the Riverside Stadium turf, where coaches delivered an educational PE lesson using numeracy and literacy to pupils from Unity City Academy in Middlesbrough.

Her visit was completed by greeting businesses who are supporters of the Foundation, as well as members of the charity’s board and workforce.

 

Helena Bowman, head of MFC Foundation, said: "It was absolutely fantastic for the young people. She was really interested, she had a lot of interesting questions and talked a lot to the young people.

“She was genuinely interested in what we can do and the power football can have on the community.

"It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the kids, they got to play on the pitch and to top it all off they got to meet a princess.

“It is fantastic to get the recognition and it is really motivational for us all.”

 

Over the past two decades, MFC Foundation has reinvested more than £25m and engaged with more than 500,000 people in Teesside.

"We are here to raise aspirations and widen horizons for young people in the community - it is all about that football club badge being that trusted, recognised brand, and with that, we can break down barriers and can engage with people who might not otherwise engage in mainstream activities

"I think in our area, Middlesbrough Football Club is the biggest brand. I don't think anything stands close and everyone recognises it.

"Football unites and Middlesbrough Football Club has the power to unite. If you can pin a football club badge onto something for young people, which is then linked to education, health or social inclusion, it really helps to engage and break down barriers."