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Palace for Life Foundation: a new name and new vision

Palace for Life Foundation: a new name and new vision

THE Crystal Palace Football Club Foundation is re-launching as the Palace for Life Foundation with a new vision to transform the lives of young people in south London.

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The Palace for Life Foundation will work more closely with Crystal Palace Football Club, using the power of the Palace brand to inspire young people through sport. It aims to become the charity of choice for Crystal Palace fans, harnessing their support to help fundraising, and to become known as one of the country’s most pioneering football community foundations.

The new strategy was unveiled at an event at Selhurst Park, attended by the club’s chairman Steve Parish and manager Sam Allardyce, and by the Foundation’s new chairman, Ed Warner and chief executive Mike Summers.

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The Palace for Life Foundation will run 11 core programmes, but focus on three key priorities:
– Physical and mental health – teaching children the importance of eating well and taking part in sport, promoting team work and essential life skills
– Early intervention – mentoring the disadvantaged, particularly those at most risk of becoming caught up in drugs or crime
– Fit for work – helping young people make the transition from education to employment, using sport to inspire them

The Foundation’s new mission statement states:
“We help young South Londoners grow through the power of sport, inspiring them to find a better path in life, for a better life.
We believe that everyone matters, irrespective of race, religion, beliefs or background. And by giving extra support to the most vulnerable, we will help create a better community and society.”

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Mike Summers, Palace for Life Foundation chief executive, said:
“Although the name is new, we’ve been working with young people in our area for over 25 years. Sport can offer young people vital life lessons and instil positive values that can help them to a better future. Our vision is to be recognised as the foremost youth development organisation in South London and amongst the most pioneering football community foundations in the UK.”

Croydon is one of the country’s ten most deprived boroughs and the Palace for Life Foundation’s focus will be on those at greatest risk and in most need of help. Typically, it works with almost 10,000 participants a year on its programmes, more than half of them under the age of 12, and helps around 600 people with disabilities to take part in sport.

Steve Parish, Crystal Palace Football Club chairman, said:
“The re-launch of our official charity as the Palace for Life Foundation marks an exciting milestone in our relationship with south London. The club will do all it can to support the Foundation in our shared goals of inspiring our young people to find their strongest path in life, whatever their background or ability.”

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