Southwark Caribb F. C. - Setting the standard

Out on Peckham Rye Park this morning, Vikki, Renata and I bumped into Carlton Scafe, President of the Southwark Caribb Football Club and other members of their coaching team. For those of you who haven't heard of Southwark Caribb before, they were started in 1999 and now run up to 15 different teams and training groups for young people in the Peckham and Dulwich area. The club is widely recognised as a model for youth football development and helped literaly hundreds of young people get active and involved in football. If you'd like to find out more about this great organisation, and maybe even offer your support, their website is here.

What I didn't know before speaking to Carlton this morning is that Southwark Caribb F. C. run an adult men's team as well. Vikki and Renata were quick to volunteer me to go along for a training session and see if I would make the grade. Carlton gave me the details for the next session, but sensibly warned me that the team was currently top of the league and hadn't lost a game all season. I will give it a go and see how I get on, though I suspect my limited skills will leave me firmly on the bench, and probably in the dressing room.

More importantly, it is crucial that local representatives listen to the views of people like Carlton over what support the council can be offering organisations such as Southwark Caribb FC, not least because their hard work does a huge amount to improve life for young people in our bit of south London.

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