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Girls across Bradford have received brand-new Premier League football kits, as part of the League’s ongoing support for women’s and girls’ football.
Hollie Barraclough and Charlie Ramsden present kits at Merlin Top Primary Academy, alongside Oliver Read and Andrew Roberts (HLTA).
The chosen schools applied to receive the kit, which includes 13 outfield sets and one goalkeeper set, plus optional Nike 2.0 hijabs, thanks to their involvement in the Premier League Primary Stars programme with Bradford City FC Community Foundation.
Delivered in partnership with Nike, the Premier League Kit Scheme will see more than 58,000 girls in more than 4,000 primary schools across England and Wales receive the free football kit, featuring the Premier League and No Room For Racism emblems.
Richard Masters, Premier League Chief Executive, said: “Football is a game that everyone
can enjoy, and it has the ability to empower and inspire young people in the classroom, the
playground and on the pitch. I hope the girls enjoy their new Premier League kit and that they continue to reap the many benefits that football can bring, both on and off the pitch.”
The Foundation has already visited three schools in the Bradford area to deliver the kits. BCAFC Women’s first-teamers Hollie Barraclough, Charlie Ramsden and Summer Paley visited Merlin Top Primary Academy, St Francis Catholic Primary School, Peel Park Primary School, and Low Ash Primary School to drop off the kits to pupils.
Ben Cunliffe, Class Teacher and PE Leader at Peel Park Primary School, said: “We really appreciate receiving these fantastic kits. Our sports teams are looking forward to wearing them with pride during our packed sporting schedule - we play weekly school matches year-round, so these kits are ideal. The children are very excited to be wearing Nike like many of their sporting heroes.”
BCAFC Women's Captain Monika Stube presents pupils at Peel Park Primary School with kits, alongside Oliver Read and Ben Cunliffe (Class Teacher and PE Leader).
The kits were presented as part of a talk and Q&A the BCAFC stars conducted at each school. The players fielded a range of questions from pupils at each school, imparting their own stories and wisdom with the aim of inspiring the next generation of footballers in the city.
[L-R] Charlie Ramsden, Hollie Barraclough and Summer Paley give a talk at St Francis Catholic Primary School.
Hollie Barraclough and Charlie Ramsden answer questions at Merlin Top Primary School.
Andrew Roberts, Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) at Merlin Top Primary Academy, said: “Having BCAFC Women’s players come and visit us is inspiring for the young people in the school, and a big deal for the local area. We’re very grateful to have received these great-looking, professional kits for our girls involved in football. I’d also like to thank the Foundation, and Oliver Read for choosing us as one of the schools to receive the kits.”
BCAFC Women players deliver kits to St Francis Catholic Primary School.
Stevie Burgess, Deputy Headteacher at St Francis Catholic Primary School, said: “A massive thank you to the players for coming down, inspiring the girls in our school, and taking part in a kickabout!”
BCAFC Women players deliver kits to St Francis Catholic Primary School.
Daniel Hurst, Deputy Headteacher at Low Ash Primary School, said: "It's fantastic for the school to have the opportunity to represent Bradford in Premier League football competitions. Our girls will proudly wear these shirts when they represent our school. Thanks to Ollie and everyone at the Foundation for thinking of us and arranging to have these BCAFC Women's players deliver the kits and inspire our pupils, and giving or girls the opportunity to be the best they can be."
More on PL Primary Stars
The Kit Scheme is just one element of the Premier League’s primary school education
programme, Premier League Primary Stars, and builds upon the 7,000 free football kits that have already been given away via the Premier League’s primary schools programme since 2017.
Dan Burrows, Senior Director, Nike Social & Community Impact, said: “Nike is delighted to
partner with the Premier League on the Kit Scheme for girls. Our work with partners like the Premier League is vital to removing cultural, social and economic barriers to participation, so all young people, especially girls, have an opportunity to benefit from play and sport. Together, we can create an active next generation and a more equitable future for all.”
Launched in 2017 and available to every primary school in England and Wales, Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of football to help children to be active and develop essential life Skills.
The free primary schools programme enables children to take part in, and enjoy, more football, sport and physical activity, as well as increasing their interest, understanding and confidence in English, PSHE and Maths to support their development of skills and values that are crucial to success in later life. More than 19,000 schools across England and Wales have engaged with the programme to date.
Premier League Primary Stars provides teachers and parents with free downloadable resources across a range of curriculum subjects at Key Stage 1 (age 5-7) and Key Stage 2 (age 7-11), developed by teachers for teachers, and in collaboration with experts such as the National Literacy Trust and the PSHE Association.
Currently, 104 professional football clubs from across the leagues run in-classroom Premier
League Primary Stars sessions in local partner schools. More than 68,000 teachers have signed up to access free online national curriculum-linked resources, to date.
The total Premier League investment into the programme, via the Premier League Charitable Fund, is over £60 million, to date.