Portsmouth FC Star Helps Frontline Care

The social care charity Community Integrated Care has been supported this week by Portsmouth FC and its charitable arm, Pompey in the Community Trust, to deliver treat boxes to hundreds of its key worker colleagues across Portsmouth. This support builds upon their ongoing efforts to assist the social care charity by helping to coordinate and manage their deliveries of PPE and other essential items to its frontline care services at this challenging time. 

Pompey first-team player, midfielder Ben Close, assisted a team of volunteers from the club and its charity in delivering care packages to surprise Community Integrated Care colleagues, who support hundreds of people who have learning disabilities, autism and mental health concerns across our Hampshire.

The packs, which were purchased by the charity as a much-deserved reward for their dedicated efforts, included confectionery, drinks and snacks. It was accompanied by a ‘thank you’ card from Community Integrated Care, praising their dedicated colleagues for their hard work and commitment in this difficult period.

This support builds upon a successful partnership between the care charity and Pompey in the Community, which was named as the Best Innovation at the 2019 Great British Care Awards for the South.

Community Integrated Care is one of the UK’s largest health and social care charities. It has been named the national Charity Times ‘Charity of the Year’ for its impact across the country.

John Hughes, Director of Partnerships and Communities at Community Integrated Care said, “This is a challenging time for the social care sector, so it’s invaluable to have the support of partners, such as Portsmouth Football Club and Pompey in the Community. We need to ensure that our frontline colleagues can continue to focus on the most important thing, which is providing great care and support and managing our services. By taking overseeing our deliveries of PPE and other important and essential items, the club and it’s charity have lifted pressure and meant that we can continue to give our full focus to the people we support.”

He continued, “Portsmouth FC means everything to people in our local community, so to have the club standing side by side with us at this challenging time has given everyone a real boost. Our teams were surprised and thrilled to see Ben join in the volunteering effort. We know that local fans can be proud of their club for its work for their community at this challenging time.”

Clare Martin, CEO of Pompey in the Community Trust, said, “We know first-hand from our partnership how vital the services provided by Community Integrated Care are to people across our local community.  The charity is delivering essential support to those who need it the most in our communities, so we are proud to help play our part in supporting them. I would like to thank all of our volunteers who have worked so tirelessly to assist their inspiring work in these difficult times.”

Ben Close, Midfielder at Portsmouth FC said, “It’s been inspiring going out into the community and seeing the work that the carers at Community Integrated Care are currently doing. It shows that life hasn’t stopped for everyone right now, because these #key workers are working as twice as hard to help the people who need it most. Today gave me a glimpse of how hard they work and to have the opportunity to help them out a little bit was great.”

He continued, “I feel it’s important to support Community Integrated Care, as being from Portsmouth myself I feel like it’s great to do anything I can to help people in the city, and especially to help key workers as they’re needed by everyone with what’s going on right now.”