Sam Ricketts hails Shrewsbury Town’s values
Sam Ricketts has praised Shrewsbury Town for holding on to its core traditions of being a community club.
Town’s In The Community charity arm have worked tirelessly in the near-three months of lockdown owing to the Covid-19 breakout.
They have transformed the way the charity reaches thousands across all age groups, working remotely to supply essentials, hand out programmes to keep participants occupied, or simply acting as a friendly voice or face.
Ricketts has played his part, assisting the community partner headed by Jamie Edwards, while members of Shrewsbury’s first-team squad have given countless hours of their time offering advice or leading sessions via video.
Shrewsbury prides itself on being a family club and the first-team boss is passionate in his belief that Town have given back to the supporters and followers during these uncertain times.
“It’s vital,” Ricketts said of the community department. “The good that comes out of these situations is that it re-affirms to certain people what the club is in the community.
“It maybe surprises others who wouldn’t know how much the club do in the community.
“It just shows the impact, the hard work that goes on all round the year.
“Players, the club and the community – we are all one. It has kept its traditional values of what clubs always used to be with the community.
“I think in recent times clubs have maybe forgotten that but we certainly haven’t here, which is really important.
“The supporters come and support the players and there’s times when the players need to, and have done, given back to supporters, like now.”
The club’s In The Community Schools team have adapted their online delivery to provide lessons such as PE and maths for youngsters unable to attend school, while BTEC and foundation degree students have also completed studies through virtual tutoring.
The charity have supported their extra time community members, many of whom are elderly and in the high-risk category, with comforting phone calls, help packs, conference calls and social media groups to help them stay in touch.
Weekly inclusive sport coaching has been on offer for ShrewsAbility, which caters for youngsters with disabilities and PL Kicks sessions, for children aged between eight and 18.
