—Derrick Pearson, Chairman, Forest Glade FC"I think the idea of the 'Dribblethon' is an excellent one. The fact that it involves a core footballing skill of dribbling a ball and raising money for two worthy causes can only be applauded. I am delighted that one of our own coaches has risen to the challenge to raise a significant amount of money. As Chairman of Forest Glade, not only do I fully endorse this initiative, I also wish him luck and will ensure that he has the support of our Club in assisting him to meet his objectives."
Forest Glade Football Club was founded in 1992 and has rapidly expanded to be one of the premier youth football set-ups in the county. The club has close to 300 members with players starting at aged 5 and progressing all the way to adult football.
In 2003 Forest Glade F.C. achieved the FA status of Charter Standard Development Club, one of only 13 in the county, and in 2009 was awarded Standard Charter Development Club of the Year by Essex FA.
The Charter Standard shows that Forest Glade F.C. follows the FA’s best practice guide that sets standards of coaching, administration and child protection for clubs working with young people. All Forest Glade F.C. coaches, managers and officials that have any contact with young people are CRB checked and the club has its own Club Welfare Officer to ensure a safe environment for all club members.
In 2009'Standard Charter Development Club of the Year' from the Essex FA.
The club has 22 teams for the season 2008/2009. The teams will be playing in the Mid Essex Football League, the Chelmsford Youth Football League, the Southend and District Junior Sunday Football League and the South East Essex Primary Mini Soccer League.
The club provides excellent playing and training facilities for its members which cover 13 acres. The training facilities are now floodlight and the ground also has its own changing rooms with showers, toilets, and a club house that provides refreshments on match days and Saturday training sessions.
The club also supports the FA’s Get into Football Campaign. The campaign aims to ensure there are opportunities for all to play the game and also engage people at all levels in off-the-field roles.
Forest Glade FC are proud members of the Basildon, Billericay and Wickford Council for Voluntary Services. The council offers information, advice, guidance, training capacity building and support services to over 350 voluntary groups working within the District.
Charter Standard Community Club status
The club focus for 2009 is to increase engagement with the community by attaining the FA's Charter Standard Community Club status. This will involve the club affiliating at least one girls team to the FA and developing a plan for disabled football through Essex FA's Soccerbility Scheme.
Although Forest Glade have had a couple of girls playing in various teams over the last few years they have not been able to field a dedicated girls team until Claire Wilding volunteered to form an under 7's squad. In October 2008 Claire advertised for players to join Forest Glade and she started training with 6 girls.
Now the squad has grown to 12 Claire is looking to register the team in the Thundermite league for the start of the 2009/10 season. This will be a major step towards the club meeting the standards to attain Community Club Status.
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