National League U11 Cup South East Finals
The Club and Trust were represented by two different teams, Northbury School represented the girls and Ripple Road Primary School represented the boys.
The Girls were unbeaten and top of the league, they then went onto reach the semi finals and drew 0-0, unfortunately they went out on penalties. The Boys won four out their six games however they came 3rd in the group and only the top two teams made it to the final.
We would like to congratulate all school pupils and staff that represented the Daggers and thank Boreham Wood Trust for organising such a brilliant event.
Brian Tunney
Sporting Memories
Congratulations to Brian Tunney who leads Sporting Memories every Thursday at Dagenham & Redbridge FC. Brian, along with several others, became a newly qualified cricket coach last weekend at the age of sixty something. Brian, age is just a number. Keep up the great work you do for Essex Cricket in the Community.
Graham Gooch - Guest Speaker
NB Change of date owing to a family bereavement - Now 18th May
Ex Essex and England cricket is our guest speaker at Sporting Memories on Thursday 18th May. The weekly sessions run every Thursday in the Clubhouse from 10.30 until 12.00. Anyone over the age of 50 is welcome to attend. Refreshments are free of charge. It is an opportunity to make friends, relive old memories and just have a bit of fun.
Progress Project Guard of Honour vs Wrexham
Our Guard of Honour at the Level Playing Field 'Unite For Access 2023' match versus Wrexham was from the Barking and Dagenham Progress Project. The Barking and Dagenham Progress Project Young People’s Development Forum is committed to helping young adults with disabilities age 8 to 25.
The Forum group meets regularly on a Friday night to discuss issues affecting them and to empower them to engage with the community through social participation with local groups, finding volunteer opportunities, work experience and having fun with evenings out, day trips, meeting up at local libraries & coffee shops. All of the sessions are free to join. For further details on how to join, contact Andy Murphy on 07881 247654 or email: forum@bdpp.org.uk
Unite For Access 2023
The Daggers and the Daggers Trust have designated the Vanarame National League fixture versus Wrexham as their 'Unite for Access' 2023 match
The Level Playing Field works to improve access for disabled fans across the country. Read their article below from the Wrexham programme.
How are you doing? We hope you’re enjoying the match versus Wrexham! We’d like to introduce ourselves. We are Level Playing Field, the leading charity in England and Wales campaigning and advocating on behalf of disabled sports fans.
Today, your club is using this match day to participate in our new national campaign, 'Unite For Access'. A celebration of disabled fans, accessibility, and inclusion at sports venues. Did you know that an estimated 22% of the UK population are disabled? That means it’s very likely that you know someone who is disabled, or you might be reading this as someone who is disabled yourself.
Quick question - how did you get to the game today? If you came by train, did you know that 40% of railway stations don't have step-free access? Meaning that if you’re a wheelchair user or ambulant disabled, even getting to a match can be a considerable barrier to attending this game.
Talking of barriers, Level Playing Field conducted a survey last year which found that nearly 29% of disabled fans considered the 'Attitudes of others' to be a barrier when attending live sports.
We appreciate that talking about disability can be daunting sometimes, it's a complex subject matter. That’s why we invite all supporters, disabled and non-disabled, to engage with your club, Disabled Supporters Association (DSA) if it has one, and ourselves, because it's not just down to disabled people to highlight the importance of access and inclusion at your club…
Good disability access benefits everyone, so let’s… Unite for Your Team. Unite For Your Fans. #UniteForAccess
Visit www.levelplayingfield.org.uk to find out more and become a member for free, or you can find us across social media by searching Level Playing Field.
The Level Playing Field Unite For Access Campaign is an annual period of inspiration and celebration of good access and inclusion at sports venues. Level Playing Field works with sports clubs, disabled supporters’ associations, governing bodies, and other organisations in many ways.
Level Playing Field can offer support, information, and advice on a range of topics around disabled spectators’ access, and this is offered to spectators, Clubs, Disabled Supporter Association’s, NGOs, and other interested parties. They offer top tips and a range of training including disability inclusion and etiquette training, mediation, professional audits, and design appraisals.
Unite For Access is the new name of the LPF annual campaign, replacing its previous name ‘Weeks of Action’ from 2023. The campaign is provisionally set for the first two weeks of March every year and covers a two-week period including three weekends.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in Unite For Access. Hundreds of football clubs get behind the campaign each year by dedicating a matchday during this period to Level Playing Field, highlighting the work they do for disabled sports fans.
In 2021, over 100 football clubs from across the English pyramid backed Weeks of Action at games across the Premier League, EFL, National League, and non-League, despite there being no fans in the ground due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As part of the campaign, the Daggers Trust is interested in your thoughts and experiences relating to Access and you can take part in the campaign by completing the survey form at https://bit.ly/DTU4A23
School Holiday Camps 2023
“Change minds, change attitudes, change behaviour, and change lives”
FREE SCHOOL HOLIDAY CAMPS FOR LOCAL CHILDREN – More than just a bit of fun
Over the last two years the Daggers Trust has run a number of innovative multisport camps during the school holiday periods for local youngsters and as we are fast approaching Easter, the Trust is pleased to announce that it will once again be running 8 days of activities free of charge for local children aged 6-14 years old having secured local funding in the past few days.
What are the benefits to the children and the parents, other than free childcare?
The benefits of physical activity are well recorded and greatly assist in developing healthy lifestyles, healthy eating and healthy minds. The emphasis at the camps is always on fun and putting smiles on faces, but what makes the Daggers Trust camps different is that they additionally concentrate on developing the individual child, changing minds, attitudes, behaviour, and lives. The children are invited to ‘step out of their comfort zone’, recognise their strengths and weaknesses and develop soft social and life skills including team building, communication and problem solving.
When will the camps happen?
This Easter’s camps will operate at May and Bakers Sports Ground from Monday 3rd to Thursday 6th and from Tuesday 11th to Friday 14th April. The camps start at 10 am and finish at 3pm.
How do I register my child(ren)?
Register a child HERE
What are these camps all about?
The summary below reports on the National League Trust funded camps which took place last August. The camps were held during the first three weeks of August at the sun baked May and Bakers Sports Ground, Dagenham.
Activities were held mostly outdoors but the extreme heat & weather conditions led to a variety of different activities having to be held indoors. Each day started at 1000hrs and finished at 1500hrs.
Who took part?
Ninety five young people from 24 different schools participated, including a handful who had attended previous Daggers Trust activities. Each day averaged 30-35 participants aged between 5 and 13 years old. Two thirds were boys and one third girls, coming from 5 different ethnic groupings. 24% of the children registered a disability.
Who were the staff running the camps?
Four to five Daggers Trust coaches ran the camps every day and over the three week period a total of 16 Metropolitan Police Officers assisted with the activities, attending in different numbers on 6 days in total. Unfortunately, work commitments prevented them attending in week 2.
Did the children get any presents or rewards?
All of the children received a free ticket voucher for two tickets to watch the Daggers this season and an Attendance Certificate, presented by the Club’s Mascot, Digger the Dog.
Which fun activities were included?
Archery, Badminton, Baseball, Boules, Cricket, Dance games – Statues, Dodgeball, Dragons Den, Field events (Javelin, Discuss, Shot Put), Football, Football Shirt Design, Fun Relays, Hula Hoop, Hoopla, Hopscotch, Musical Chairs, Police Skills, Quizzes, Rounders, Target Penalty Shootout (Inflatable Goal), Team Games, Team Rock, Paper, Scissors, Twister.
What Workshops were there?
Strengths, Weaknesses, Stepping Outside Comfort Zone, Stranger Danger, Soft Skills eg Setting Personal Targets, Teamwork, Public Speaking, Making Friends, Building Self Confidence, starting to see what qualities they have in their toolbox, and recognising the importance and benefits of inclusion and diversity.
What sort of feedback did you get?
All of the young people indicated that they had enjoyed the camp, 84% awarding the top mark of ‘Excellent’. 100% said they would come back again if invited. Over 90% of the children made new friends at the camps.
The activities enjoyed the most were Cricket, Football, Archery, Team Games, Inflatable Goals, Indoor and Fitness Games.
Over 75% of the children agreed that they had stepped outside their comfort zone at the camp and learnt something positive about themselves as a result.
Which positive strengths were identified by the children?
Confidence, communication, friendliness, honesty, kindness, leadership, responsibility, and a team layer
Which negative weaknesses were identified by the children?
Don’t Listen, impatience, lacking in confidence, not paying attention, selfishness, shyness, & tire quickly
Which ‘Tools’ were added to ‘Children’s Toolboxes’ at end of each camp?
Increased confidence, increased activity, patience, happy and excited, cricket skills, listening, leadership, kindness, helping others, teamwork, sharing, & making new friends
What do you mean by Police Engagement?
90% of the young people worked with the police officers on several days. This included joining together in the fun activities, with the officers in their teams. The officers were from MO7 TSG Chadwell Heath, plus two officers from the local Safer Neighbourhood Team (Eastbrook).
All children received workshops on ‘Stranger Danger’, role of the Police and a Police Officer, Q&A sessions about a wide variety of topics and anxieties, types of equipment and their use, reporting anti-social behaviour, crime, bullying, etc and the importance of teamwork.
The Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray commented this week, “Fabulous”. “Happy to support in any way we can and thank you for all you do!”
Officers as well as D&R sessional coaches stated that they had also learnt a lot from the event in terms of their ability to organise, create fun activities that enable participants to exercise their ability to think outside the box, plan-do-review, and spot those “reachable teachable” moments that occur throughout the day, that get fed back to individuals and groups to enable their development.
“Our thanks to D&R for creating these environments that enable us all to come away with a lot more than what we arrived with. Seeing positive relationships being formed amongst peers, and between youths and police is very satisfying and goes a long way towards enabling us to build trust and confidence, and provide the awareness amongst the youths attending of the importance of staying safe by making good decisions and choices.” PCSO John Joseph from the Met’s Central Engagement Team.
What did the parents have to say?
All feedback from the parents throughout the three weeks was positive.
Examples of parental comments made:
“What have you done to my son? He’s grown up so much”.
“I’m so glad my son did this. It has really made a difference to him”.
“My son came back buzzing from the camps”.
“Great sessions for the kids. I would have liked even more sessions that help integrate the children, so they are pushed to communicate and make friends”.
“My three children have attended a few camps, enjoyed it all, each and every time. I am please they attended and would send again, if invited”.
“My daughter enjoyed the camp, especially when she got free tickets to watch the Daggers play”.
“My son always had so much fun and always wanted to come back”.
“It is a great atmosphere to learn team building”.
The dates for the school holidays are as follows:
Easter Week 1 3-6 April 2023 FREE
Easter Week 2 11-14 April 2023 FREE
Whitsun 29 May-2 June 2023 £50 per week
Summer Week 1 31 July-4 August 2023 £50 per week
Summer Week 2 7-11 August 2023 £50 per week
Summer Week 3 14-18 August 2023 £50 per week
Summer Week 4 21-25 August 2023 £50 per week
Sporting Memories
Working with the LBBD, Sporting Memories and Essex Cricket Club in the Community, the Daggers Trust has been operating free 'Sporting Memories' sessions every Thursday at the club from 10:30-12:00. The group numbers have been growing and the Trust is pleased to announce that it is to receive funding to continue in the future. The sessions are run by Brian Tunney from Essex CCC.
The sessions are open to anyone aged 50 or over, male or female and provide an opportunity to meet, talk and make friends. The conversations are not always sport based. Free tea and coffee are provided. No registration just turn up and talk.
Why not pop down and see us on Thursday?
We look forward to seeing you.
This Girl's Ability
This Girl's Ability needs your support as they strive to help disabled girls and young women flourish.
This Girl's Ability needs £9,000 to help them start their non-profit community company, which seeks to decrease the isolation of disabled girls and young women and forge deeper connections within their community. Disabled people were disproportionately affected by COVID-19, and This Girl's Ability is committed to supporting their recovery post-pandemic.
The £9,000 raised through Crowdfunder will be used to provide weekly sports and creative sessions for disabled girls and young women in Havering and Essex.
Through regular group interaction, they aim to prevent and improve mental health, help members grow in confidence and learn new skills to improve employability, and provide sporting opportunities to this group not known to partake in physically active hobbies.
They aim to create a sustainable project by making the most of their current connections and creating new collaborative links with national governing bodies, sports clubs, local businesses, and community groups.
Georgie Hart, Director and Ambassador at This Girls Ability, said: “I believe this is an important project. Growing up as a disabled girl with cerebral palsy was very hard at times. A club in my local community would have helped me make friends, given me more confidence and made such a difference in my life.”
The money they hope to raise through Crowdfunder will enable them to empower disabled girls and young women. If we can raise £4,500, Sport England has confirmed they will pledge the other half! The community project will help to tackle inequalities and reach another area of regional deprivation.
This Girl's Ability has big dreams for their future, and by donating or purchasing a reward, you will be part of their journey and help them hit the ground running!
Donate at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/thisgirlsability
