About Us

  

FA Nat. ID 238737, FA Aff. no. X-SUF2309, FA National League ID 17926, Companies House no. 13257288

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Our themes of provision

  • Educating, instilling confidence and developing life skills using football
  • Achieving health and wellbeing through football
  • Affording equal opportunities and full inclusion in football

Why Football

Football is championed by the Trust as an excellent way to tackle mental health issues; to help prevent and form part of a cure. It can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety and ADHD. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood. It can also increase cognitive brain function.

Football is an extremely good physical exercise; played regularly it can improve aerobic capacity and cardiovascular health, lower body fat and improves muscle tone, build muscle and bone strength, and increase coordination. Being great fun to play football itself motivates and improves engagement with all that positive exertion.

As a team sport football promotes individual development at the same time as teamwork and sharing through collaboration and cooperation. It also allows you to meet new people and make new friends.

Services, programmes and events

                    

The Sporting Trust is a not-for-profit social enterprise that delivers and supports various football based services, programmes and events to children and adults in the local community. The Trust works in synergy with its partner organisation Sporting 87 Football Club to provide a ‘total football community service’. Together with Sporting 87 we are England Football Accredited; a partnership that has won the Suffolk FA award for best Community Charter Standard Organisation three times. Trust activities are categorised under four modes of provision: Academy, Community, Schools Support and Holiday Clubs. Click on the links below to find out more.

Details of upcoming sessions and events can be found in our online shop.

Directors

Director & CEO Non-executive Director
Jonathan-Warnock
Darren Brown MA ODEd Jonathan Warnock
“Footy is fun game for everyone to play, and a great game for everyone to learn from.” “Hard work gains high standards.”
  • FA licensed Level 3 (YM3) / UEFA C football coach
  • FA talent identification scout
  • FA futsal coach
  • FA psychology coach
  • FA mentoring coach
  • FA Welfare Officer
  • Committee Member, Youth Chairman and Youth Football Director of Sporting 87 Football Club
  • National FA ‘150’ award recipient
  • National FA Football Futures award winner
  • Former Suffolk FA WAYS League Vice Chairman
  • Education, experience and background: Design, planning and delivery management of defence industry education, communications and marketing media. Primary school teaching support. Masters degree in Education
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001571520622.
  • FA licensed Level 3 (UEFA B) football coach, FA Coaches’ Association member
  • FA Welfare Officer
  • Suffolk FA Council Member – West Suffolk North
  • Suffolk FA Coach Mentor – West Suffolk
  • Committee Member, Secretary and Football Director of Sporting 87 Football Club
  • First team manager of Sporting 87 Football Club
  • Committee member and director of Victory Sports Ground Ltd
  • Member of the Christians in Football (CIF) executive
  • Education, experience and background: Management of Bury Football Academy at West Suffolk College
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001562824827.

Staff

All our staff have rigorous safeguarding and referencing checks to ensure they are able to work with children. Before placing anyone into a childcare position the following checks are performed:

  • Identity
  • Qualification verification
  • Reference checks
  • Barred List
  • Criminal Records (DBS – FA enhanced)
  • Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006
  • Right to work in the UK

Many of our staff have voluntary roles at Sporting 87 Football Club*. The Bury St Edmunds based club is an FA Charter Standard Community Club that also has Sport England Clubmark standards accreditation.

Academy Manager
Welfare Officer
and Schools Liaison Officer
   
Cameron Brown Nikki Brown
“Football can develop players and people.”
“Show them interest and encouragement, and watch them blossom.”
  • FA licensed Level 3 (YM3) / UEFA C football coach
  • FA futsal coach
  • Founding committee member Suffolk FA WAYS League
  • Youth team lead coach of Sporting 87 Football Club
  • National FA Football Futures National Coach of the Year award winner
  • Education, experience and background: Primary School Teacher. MEd Cantab (Hughes Hall). Homerton College PGCE. Music BA (Hons).
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001532575303.
  • FA licensed football coach
  • FA Welfare Officer
  • ST ladies futsal squad member
  • ST walking futsal squad member
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001486441383.
Academy Coach
Academy Coach
    
James Price Harry Bentley
“Your best football comes from a simple decision.”
“Football is for everyone.”
  • FA licensed Level 4 (Psychology) & UEFA B football coach
  • UEFA B goalkeeper coach
  • UEFA B futsal coach
  • FA futsal goalkeeper coach
  • FA mentoring coach
  • Suffolk FA Coaches Academy graduate
  • Founding committee member Suffolk FA WAYS League
  • Suffolk Sports EDF Energy Young Community Volunteer of the Year award winner
  • Education, experience and background: Kings Lynn Town FC Academy Lead, Totenham Hotspur FC Academy and Women’s Coach, Norwich City FC Community Coach, Ipswich Town Community Coach. Media Production, Level 3 National Diploma. ADHD Awareness, Level 2 TES Educare Certificate. Mental Wellbeing in Children and Young People, Level 2 TES Educare Certificate. Body Language Diploma (Dist.), CPD accreditation.
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001523509054.
  • FA football coach
  • Coach at Sporting 87 Football Club
  • Education, experience and background: BTec in Sport Science and Sociology. Early Childhood Studies undergraduate at West Suffolk University
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001759947399.
Academy Coach
Academy Coach
 
Dario Xavier  Sammy Hepper
“Good football gives a good life.”
“There are many parts, but one body. There are many players, but one team.”
  • FA football coach
  • Coach at Sporting 87 Football Club
  • Education, experience and background: TBD
  • CRB/DBS cert no. TBD.
  • FA qualified football coach
  • Emergency First Aid Certification, St John’s Ambulance
  • Education, experience and background: History BA Honours York University, children’s humanitarian worker in Africa, upper school learning support team member, Wholeness Counselling Training Course Certificate
  • CRB/DBS cert. no. 001730407109.
Foundation (Cubs) Lead Coach
Foundation (Tigers) Lead Coach
katie-hopkins
Katie Hopkins Cerys Brown
“Appropriateness is fundamental.” “Tiny steps lead to great strides.”
  • FA Level 2 / UEFA C football coach
  • FA futsal coach
  • FA mentoring coach
  • Youth team lead coach of Sporting 87 Football Club
  • West Suffolk College Outstanding Early Years Student of the Year 2017
  • ST ladies futsal squad member
  • Education, experience and background: BA (hon) Education Children’s Play Learning & Development, Level 3 National Diploma
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001533283550.
  • FA Level 2 / UEFA C football coach
  • FA futsal coach
  • FA mentoring coach
  • ST ladies futsal squad member
  • Education, experience and background: Art & Design (Graphics), Level 3 National Diploma. Film Production undergraduate at Farnham University of Creative Arts
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001533265008.
Walking Football Ambassador
& Lead Coach
Lead Coach
   
Rachel Bolton  Suzannah Spurgeon
“Walking football is great exercise, a fantastic social experience, and has such a positive effect on everyone’s mental health.” “1 Corinthians 12:26: If one member suffers, all members suffer, if one member is honoured we all rejoice.”
  • FA football coach
  • ST ladies futsal squad member
  • ST walking futsal squad member
  • Education, experience and background: Financial accountant (AAT) for local car dealership, NVQ L4.
  • CRB/DBS cert no. E0604013196.
  • FA football coach
  • FA futsal coach
  • ST ladies futsal squad member
  • Education, experience and background: Learning Support Assistant in a primary school. Mentor and respite foster carer. Qualified youth worker. Church youth groups leader. Stowmarket Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Saturday Club youth leader. British Sign Language (BSL) qualified.
  • CRB/DBS cert no. E0676734169.
Lead Coach
& Football Pastor
Lead Coach
     
Ben Goddard Nils Klermund
“Sporting provides opportunity to build confidence, friendship, ability and relationship with God.” “Football is a fun sport that requires hard work and commitment.”
  • FA football coach
  • Football Pastor
  • Involved with the club for over ten years through playing and coaching
  • Education, experience and background: Studying theology and youth work at Moorlands Bible College
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001595635781.
  • FA football coach
  • Education, experience and background: Currently undertaking LTA level 3 Coaching
  • CRB/DBS cert no. E0715356897.
Coach
Junior Coach
Ciaran Brown  Jake Brett
“Without ambition we are just playing.” “Compete with respect.”
  • FA football coach
  • Current player Kings Lynn Town U23
  • Former Ipswich Town Football and Education Scholar
  • Education, experience and background: Sport and Physical Activity (Sports Coaching), NCFE Level 3 Extended Diploma. Sport Science undergraduate at Loughborough College
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001799924668.
  • FA football coach
  • FA futsal coach
  • Education, experience and background: TBD
  • CRB/DBS cert no. NA (U18).
Coach
Jack Furnell
“Skills for the game are skills for life.”
  • FA football coach
  • Education, experience and background: Former student at Abbeygate Sixth Form.
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 000000000000.
Lead Coach
Lead Coach
 
Sarah Thornley  Jordan Stannard
“Teach the game to know the game. I want to teach the joy and value of football.” “Standards raised come from practice made.”
  • FA football coach
  • Education, experience and background: Art & Design (Graphics), Level 3 National Diploma. Film Production undergraduate at Farnham University of Creative Arts
  • CRB/DBS cert no. 001774329004.
  • FA football coach
  • Former ITFC Elite Player
  • Education, experience and background: Business Masters at Portsmouth University
  • CRB/DBS cert. no. E0696913709.

Provision policies, adopted guidance and key legal document

In alphabetical order.

Content © Sporting 87 Educational Trust 2023