- Nissan has donated funds to City in the Community’s Powerchair Football project enabling the Club’s charity to purchase new high-spec Powerchairs for its young participants to access
- This forms part of the Nissan Possibilities Project, which aims to support under-represented communities at a grassroots level and work towards a world with zero inequalities.
- Powerchair football is a unique sport that provides opportunities for people with a high level of impairment to access the game of football
LONDON (23rd September 2022) –Nissan has announced a donation to the Manchester City FC’s charity, City in the Community (CITC).
Nissan, the first global partner of City Football Group, has supported CITC’s Powerchair Football sessions by funding eight new chairs for young people to enjoy.
The electric wheelchairs are specially adapted so that players with a high level of impairment can dribble, shoot and intercept in fast-paced, dynamic matches.
As a result of the donation, CITC can ensure that more participants can play football, especially those without a powerchair at home.
CITC runs the Powerchair Football sessions on a weekly basis, allowing young people with disabilities to play football and compete with other local teams.
The donation is part of the Nissan Possibilities Project, a long-term initiative to enable inclusivity for all through participation in sport.
To celebrate the donation, Manchester City first team players Aymeric Laporte and Zack Steffen went head-to-head in a Powerchair Football match with two participants from City in the Community.
Jack Humphries, 19, has been attending the session for five years and has now progressed to a volunteer role. Commenting on the day, he said: “It’s a boyhood dream. I never thought as a disabled person I would be playing with footballers; it is an absolute dream.
“This donation ensures that everyone will have the same chance. Some players have their own chairs, but a lot of others do not, so it means they are able to still play. It also helps us to challenge at elite level.
“We cannot thank Nissan enough for their support.”
Speaking after the visit, Aymeric Laporte added: “It is very nice from Nissan to try and help these young people. I can tell they like these sessions a lot and it is great for us to be involved in the action.”
Nic Thomas, Marketing Director at Nissan GB, said: “It is important to keep evolving our partnership with CITC. We are proud to provide these much-needed new Powerchairs that enhance our commitment to the disability programme, increasing accessibility and participation in sport through the Nissan Possibilities Project which has been set up to create greater opportunities for people from under-represented communities.”
City in the Community’s Powerchair Football sessions form part of the charity’s wide-ranging One City Disability programme.
One City Disability provides opportunity for participants to take part in free football and sporting provision relevant to their specific disability. Sessions are held in primary and secondary schools, as well as in community venues outside of lesson hours, ensuring that participants across Greater Manchester have access to disability specific provision and education.
City in the Community’s Senior Partnerships Manager, Sam Dainty, is pleased to see such impactful support from a Manchester City partner.
He said: “Disabled participants do not always feel comfortable or able to access universal provision, so it is important to provide disability specific sports for participants, with development and participation opportunities.
“To have Club partners on board with what we’re doing here at City in the Community is fantastic; they’re able to see just how impactful this work can be. Young people in Manchester are at the heart of everything we do, so it is great that our two missions align.
“Thank you, Nissan Possibilities Project.”
For more information about City in the Community, visit www.mancity.com/community/manchester.
For more information about the Nissan Possibilities Project, visit: www.nissan.co.uk/possibilitiesproject.html
About the Nissan Possibilities Project
The Nissan Possibilities Project is Nissan’s long-term CSR initiative, stemming from a core belief in a world with zero emissions and zero inequalities. The project uses Nissan’s technologies, resources and expertise to create more opportunities for people from underrepresented communities, with a specific focus on supporting disability and LGBTQ+ initiatives. In addition to the partnership with City in the Community Nissan work with two key charities:
- Sported UK, with whom Nissan are working to increase participation and accessibility in sport for young people with disabilities
- The Richard Whitehead Foundation, with whom Nissan are working to provide access to running prosthetics for young people with disabilities
Through the project, Nissan also sponsors both the London Marathon and The Great Run Series, bringing its Zero Emissions and Zero Inequality philosophy to these mass participation running events. Nissan electrifies the events with zero emissions support vehicles and creates more inclusive opportunities for runners and supporters with Cheer Zones celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, and race places donated to charity partners to enable great participation from under-represented groups.
About City in the Community
Founded in 1986, City in the Community is Manchester City’s Charity. We support people across Greater Manchester by empowering healthier lives through football. Our youth-led programmes place physical and mental wellbeing at their core, whilst also creating healthy futures and healthy communities.
Supporting 20,000 people each season, City in the Community’s award-winning programmes aim to:
- Nurture health people by putting physical and mental wellbeing at the centre of its sessions.
- Build healthy futures through education and employability pathways.
- Connect people by creating healthy communities in safe, inclusive environments.
City in the Community is available on Twitter (@citctweets) as well as Facebook and Instagram (@citcmancity).