Sport Northern Ireland: Creating Opportunities has provided £5,000 of match funding
18th Newtownabbey FC "Level the playing field"
Newtownabbey, , United Kingdom
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Aim: We want to "Level up the playing field" by creating new opportunities through the power of football
Who are we?
18th Newtownabbey Football Club is based in Monkstown which is in Newtownabbey.
We were formed in 1987 and have served the community for 38 years.
Our connection to the surrounding areas has allowed us to grow the football club to 15 teams, which has 13 grassroots Teams and 2 Senior Teams which includes 250 members. We are a club that is inclusive to ALL back rounds.
The Senior teams play in the Intermediate section and the amateur league section of the Northern Amateur Football League (NAFL).
The youth teams play in the South Belfast Youth League (SBYL) and East Antrim Development Centre (EADFC).
As a club we also compete in competitions run by The Irish Football Association (IFA).
Why are we crowdfunding?
We want to level the playing field by adding more programs and enabling more people to get involved in sport. But like other clubs we find it hard because of the financial restraints which limits us what we can provide. To enable us to create these opportunities we need to bring in addition funds, and is why have reached out to Crowdfunder, Sport NI and You to help us achieve our GOALS. We want to create a better future for the children and young people, but also not forgetting about the support senior players and players who are at the end of there playing days are challenged with. The projects will be new opportunities that we will create to benefit many people in the local community.
We need YOUR help to help reduce the barriers that young people face.
For every £1 you donate, Sport NI will match this.
SO PLEASE DONATE
How we’ll spend the money raised
Additional sessions: These will take place over a 10-week period which we will add an additional 6 hours per weekend to allow maximum participation. We will also create new age groups within the football club so others can get the same opportunities.
Equipment: VEO Sports Camera
The positive benefits of the Veo Sports camera for athletes, especially young players, include:
Hands-Free Recording – Automatically films games and training without needing a camera operator.
Skill Improvement – Athletes can watch footage to understand mistakes and improve performance.
Recruitment Support – Makes it easy to create and share highlight videos with scouts and coaches.
Tactical Analysis – Coaches and teams can break down plays and strategies for better results.
Player Development – Track progress over time to see improvement and set development goals.
Parental Engagement – Families can watch games they miss and stay involved.
Team Collaboration – Players and coaches can review footage together to build teamwork and communication.
Overall, Veo empowers young athletes to learn, grow, and gain exposure through video technology.
5 x 3 Nets will allow us to create a new younger age-related group to play and host 3 v 3 games.
Other equipment: Footballs and varies Health and Wellbeing items
Education: Hosting various age-related sessions including Health and Nutrition. Setting GOALS and Resilience in sport, along with general health and wellbeing workshops.
The focus is creating new opportunities and creating a stronger connection to other communities, to enable more people to take part in sport and physical activities.
We have planned development sessions with the focus group being Children and young people (aged 6 -18) in our grassroots section. But as an inclusive club, players 18+ and over 35's will be included in the 10-week project.
The biggest outgoing will be Facilities hire, equipment and specialist coaches.
We will run these programs from July - September, though this is the will be the foundations on how we will level up the playing field for the foreseeable future
Community impact and levelling up the playing field.
The Community impact will be incredible as everyone involved will have a positive experience.
Our project aims to create lasting, positive change by increasing access, reducing barriers, and empowering underrepresented groups. By providing [resources/training/support], we equip community members with tools for long-term success, particularly those historically excluded from opportunity.
We’re leveling the playing field by focusing on equity—targeting support where it’s needed most, prioritizing underserved populations, and ensuring fair access to opportunities. This approach helps bridge gaps in education, employment, and digital access, enabling everyone in the community to participate and thrive.
Individually all participants will improve in
*Physical fitness
*Positive health and wellbeing
*Greater levels of self-confidence, self-esteem and self-worth
*Greater Social interaction and reduction of isolation and exclusion *Being part of a community (in sport) *Education through the power of sport
*Encouraging lifelong participation
The more people visit our community, can only mean more people using local business and shops. Overall, through the power of sport we want to Level the playing field for all. As a football club we have a strategy to combat all the above and this is stage one.
We need your help to achieve this “Together Everyone Achieves More”
New programs introduce fresh opportunities or target specific skills, while ongoing ones focus on continued development.
Structure – New offerings may have different formats (e.g., clinics, camps), whereas ongoing activities follow set routines.
Participants – New programs attract new or returning athletes; ongoing ones retain current players.
Resources – New initiatives may need extra staff or equipment; ongoing programs use existing setups.
Flexibility – New programs are more experimental; ongoing ones are established and consistent.
How you can play your part
1. Make a Donation. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
Follow our progress through our social media platforms and Crowdfunder page
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 1st August 2025 at 6:03am