The club and charity are located near to Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke, our 71-bed hospital on Beach Road which provides emergency admissions services for men and women, and a pathway for women to rehabilitation including a specialist service for personality disorder.
This sponsorship deal will allow Seagulls in the Community to create a new Community Manager role. The Community Manager will spearhead the charity’s mission to deliver a diverse range of initiatives, from youth activities to education programmes and sports projects, benefitting individuals of all ages and backgrounds in Weston-super-Mare.
Alex Crowther, Charity Trustee, said: “We’re delighted that Cygnet Health Care have become our Seagulls in the Community Principal Partner. We want to express our sincere thanks to David Smart and his team at Cygnet for their support. We’re now fully committed to delivering a plan of comprehensive community engagement across Weston-super-Mare, which will be spearheaded by our new Community Manager.
“Everyone at Seagulls in the Community and Weston-super-Mare AFC would like to thank Cygnet Health Care for their support. We look forward to working with them.”
The partnership was officially launched on Saturday 11 January during an open community day at Weston-super-Mare AFC, attended by more than 2,000 supporters. Service users attended, alongside staff from Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke.
David Smart, General Manager at Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke, said: “We are always proud to build up wonderful local relationships in the communities we serve and we look forward to growing this partnership further.
“I am genuinely excited to be able to sponsor the club to help carry out their vision of reaching out to the community and at the same time raise the profile of Cygnet Hospital Kewstoke and highlight the positive impact exercise and sport can have on mental health.
“We are a company with strong values, trying to improve the lives of those needing our support. These values are mirrored by Seagulls in the Community, who are a charity trying to create equal opportunities for all ages and abilities in the Weston area.
“We know they have ambitions to reach more people and it is a privilege we can support them in this worthwhile mission. It is clearly an exciting team for the charity and I’m sure it will be a fruitful partnership.”
Projects supported by Seagulls in the Community include Weston Ability, a Pan Disability Football Club for ages 7 to adults with disabilities and/or additional needs. The charity has partnered with them so they can access facilities and resources allowing the club to continue their growth.
The charity is also in the early phases of creating a youth club which will run at The Optima Stadium – the home of Weston-super-Mare.