Celtic v Aberdeen

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CELTIC v ABERDEEN / WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CUP SEMI-FINAL LET THE FUN BEGIN Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon is delighted to see the return of popular children’s football sessions. Craig Gordon has no hesitation in describing the return of McDonald’s Fun Football sessions as “absolutely vital” to the physical and mental wellbeing of kids. The Covid-19 crisis has had a material effect on football at all levels of the game and all over the world, but McDonald’s will provide access and encouragement to the budding stars of tomorrow and those who simply enjoy playing. The Hearts and Scotland ‘keeper, along with former Scotland women’s star Julie Fleeting, attended the National Performance Centre at Oriam recently to relaunch the company’s Fun Football sessions in Scotland. The sessions are designed to give free, safe and fun physical activity to thousands of children across the country, regardless of ability or gender. McDonald’s is committed to its target of giving more than 500,000 children the opportunity to play football for the first time and providing more than five million hours of free football to five-11-yearolds by 2020 through its partnership with the Scottish FA. 32 HAMPDEN PARK / SUNDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2020
CELTIC v ABERDEEN / WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CUP SEMI-FINAL And no one should be surprised. McDonald’s has worked with the Scottish FA and the other home nations football associations for the last 18 years, making them the longest-standing provider of grassroots football in the UK. Gordon is a huge fan of the initiative and the former <strong>Celtic</strong> and Sunderland number one, capped 54 times for his country and still looking for more, is delighted to see them back. He said: “It is fantastic that McDonald’s are putting these sessions on. “The kids have suffered quite a lot in recent months, having to stay inside. So to get them back out, get them interacting with each other, enjoying football sessions, is really great for all the kids. Absolutely vital. “You see the smiles on the faces and see them enjoying themselves which is something they’ve not really been able to do an awful lot during lockdown. So it’s really great to have these activities back up and running.” The sessions were postponed as the UK went into lockdown earlier this year, but with new measures in place, the programme gives those families who have missed out on sport and peer-topeer interaction over the past five months a chance to safely enjoy football. Recent research from McDonald’s has shown that eight out of 10 parents want their children to engage in more sport activity but almost a third are unable to afford it, making these free sessions a great option for parents across the country to get their children back into activity. Gordon said: “I have my daughters at these sessions, they are free for everybody to come and join in. It is great to have the kids outside and just enjoying playing football again and it’s something that has been lacking over the last few months. Not really through anybody’s fault, but that’s just been what had to happen with the lockdown. “So to get them back out in a safe environment with everything looked after the way that they have here is brilliant.” McDonald’s Fun Football ambassador Julie Fleeting is equally as passionate about the project. She said: “These Fun Football sessions are an incredible way to get children back into football after the year we’ve had. “These are the type of sessions I wish we had when I was growing up and I would highly recommend them to anyone who is thinking about taking up or getting back into football.” Paul Pomroy, McDonald’s UK and Ireland chief executive officer, explained what was in store for the kids. He said: “This autumn we will run more than 800 free football sessions for five-to- 11-year-olds to get them playing the beautiful game. “As a dad of two footballmad children desperate for activities during lockdown, I know how important it is for kids to get out and about, socialising and being active. “Through our Fun Football programme we are proudly providing five million hours of football for children and introducing more than half a million new players to the game by 2022.” Find your local free Fun Football Centre and sign up today at https://bit.ly/3kFUxfW HAMPDEN PARK / SUNDAY, 1 NOVEMBER 2020 33
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Celtic v Aberdeen

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