Go2Games and Palace for Life provide gaming consoles to local families
Croydon-based gaming retailer Go2Games are working with the Palace for Life Foundation to gift gaming consoles to vulnerable young people and families who might be struggling to cope at home during the Coronavirus crisis.
Croydon-based gaming retailer Go2Games are working with the Palace for Life Foundation to gift gaming consoles to vulnerable young people and families who might be struggling to cope at home during the Coronavirus crisis.
Palace for Life Foundation, the official charity of Crystal Palace FC, has identified individuals and groups who would benefit from a console, either to give parents and carers some respite time, or to help isolated young people connect with friends and family.
Go2Games are packaging and sending PS4 and Nintendo Switch consoles and games to be shared this week.
Go2Games director Craig Constantinides said: “At a time like this, it’s more important than ever to consider the needs of your local communities. Many local businesses are doing what they can improve lives within their constituencies while people are holed up at home, and we’re no different at Go2Games.
“As families increasingly feel the need to tighten their belts, we thought giving away some free consoles might have a positive impact on local lives, and we’re grateful to Palace for Life for identifying for us those who need it most.”
One of those set to receive a console is 11-year-old Alfie from Croydon. His mother was delighted by the generosity of the offer, stating: “I hope that this will encourage Alfie to share and make more friends as he plays on the console. Sometimes his anxieties and angry moments can make other children feel a little unsure of him.”
Some of the consoles will be provided to Palace for Life mentors to allow them to use gaming as a means of communicating with teenagers who are potentially at risk of being caught up in crime and anti-social behaviour via the new Premier League Kicks programme Palace Pad Chat.
Palace for Life Foundation Targeted Interventions Manager George Henry said: “We engage with young people at risk through our Breaking the Cycle and Premier League Kicks programmes but are currently unable to meet them face-to-face.
“Having these consoles provided by Go2Games will give us the chance to continue speaking to many of them, allowing us to check how they are coping at home and offer them support and advice, all while gaming and hopefully having fun with them.”
A local youth disability group that supports young adults with learning disabilities, autism and other challenges will benefit from a console, as well as a number of young people who have atypical needs and require a lot of additional help from carers and family.
Palace for Life Foundation Disability Manager Michael Harrington added: “We are delighted to be working with Go2Games to provide this opportunity for young people in our community, many of whom will be feeling very isolated at home, or who are extremely challenging for their parents and carers.
“We are first and foremost a football charity and promote a healthy and active lifestyle, however we understand that gaming can be an excellent way to aid communication, bring families together and ease stress. We will be speaking to them to make sure that they use these consoles alongside maintaining their physical activity levels where possible.”
All of our employees hail from Croydon and its surrounding areas, meaning that one of our core purposes is to support that same community which has nurtured and raised us.
In addition to our primary function, we operate on many other levels to create a genuine connection with local people, through giving opportunities to learn new skills on our employment programme, or using our platform to provide uplifting entertainment experiences on the ground.
Most of all, we believe in harnessing positivity to drive our ever-changing cultural landscape forwards. If you do good, you feel good – it’s a mindset!