Youth Football Club Thank Police for £1,000-worth of Donations

Christmas has come early for young people from Biscovery Youth Football Club in St Austell, as they thanked Devon and Cornwall Police for their donations for the club to purchase new goal nets, training hoodies and much needed winter kit. This means that the Cornwall and Isles and Scilly (CIOS) police team has now donated £1000 to the ambitious, volunteer led youth football club in Cornwall through the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

The purpose of Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 is to deprive a convicted criminal of any financial benefit that they may have made through their crimes and empowers the sale of their assets in order to pay off their confiscation order. Surplus funds are then reinvested in local community projects.

Devon and Cornwall Police, Chief Superintendent Ben Deer, Commander of CIOS explains: “Every year we award a total of £20,000 to community projects in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. We receive applications from inspirational grassroots projects who are eligible to secure up to £1000 funding. We carefully consider how donations will make an enriching, positive difference to our communities. We chose to award these donations to the club because of their community support, focus on youth engagement and the wider positive effects this can have. The funding will help make the club equipped with useful facilities to support the work of its dedicated volunteers. Donating POCA funds also enables us to strengthen links between our neighbourhood policing teams and the community we serve. It’s wonderful to hear children at Biscovery Youth Football Club are enjoying the benefits of our funding, and that their training and matches are going well.”

Kevin Morcom, Biscovery Youth Football Club volunteer coach said: “As a club we try to offer help and support for families with the emphasis on providing a safe, fun environment.  During some of our winter games and training sessions it became apparent that our children didn’t have adequate warm weather clothing. As a result of this, I applied for some POCA funding which was generously granted and allowed us to purchase 14 winter training jackets for the under 12’s team. They have really come in really handy and the children love them.”

Lee Baker, Chairman of Biscovery Youth Football Club added: “We have six youth teams including under 10-year-olds up until fifteen-year-olds with just over one hundred children registered with the club. We are totally reliant upon volunteers, fund raising events and donations to supply the children with adequate facilities and essential equipment like this winter kit so they can train and play matches in all kinds of weather through the winter months. We are an ambitious club; from Easter next year we want to set up a ‘mini kickers’ group for reception age children. We can only keep the club going and growing thanks to our volunteers and generous donations like we’ve received from Devon and Cornwall Police.”