Author: AshwellAccies

The Ashwell Accies 2020 review

The Accies football year was somewhat curtailed, as with all things in the annus horribilis of 2020, but one look at the faces of children and parents alike when football finally returned in late September told you everything that you need to know about the importance of our wonderful sport to the wellbeing of all.

The children were like coiled springs, finally released having been scrunched up compressed in a package for months and the feel-good factor really was a joy to witness. The results of the matches didn’t even matter. Nobody cared whether they’d won or lost. They were playing football with their friends and having a fantastic time in the process, something they had been deprived of for so long.

The effort that went in from our coaches and committee to prepare for the return of football is not be underestimated. They did some great work on top of their usual efforts to ensure that football could continue and the Accies remains a safe place for the children to be. So, a massive thank you has to go to them. A special thank you to our new secretary, Vicki Prowle, who joined us at the start of the year and has taken on the extra role of Covid officer. She has done a fantastic job ensuring we are in a great place to continue playing football.

Even during the down time, the Accies were keeping busy; three bin bags of kit has been collected and donated to KitAid to support people in some of the world’s poorest countries, so soon we may have an Accies team in another part of the world!

Off the pitch the battle goes on to improve facilities. With now over 150 children participating under the Accies banner, nine teams and just four pitches in the village, resources are stretched to the maximum. The few pitches that we do have are showing the strains of accommodating so much football, so if any kind landowners are reading this….please contact me on email or via the website!

As always, the club couldn’t run without the fantastic support and help from the parents. Thank you to all who help out on match days or with training. I know it is massively appreciated. We look forward to seeing you in 2021. Up The Accies! Andy Hayes, Chairman-  chairman@ashwellacademicals.com

The Ashwell Academicals website was recently selected for a surprise ‘Desktop Safeguarding Compliance’ visit, carried out by a member of the Hertfordshire FA Team.  Information about how the visits are being conducted can be found here.

We are delighted to say our website passed with flying colours, and feedback included “Fantastic website!  The club website clearly shows your club ethos, Committee Members & how to contact, Codes & Conduct & Policies.  Your Safeguarding Policy clearly outlines the club’s commitment & provides information on how to report a concern or seek assistance.”

Thank you to everyone involved in our website, and the hard work & support from everyone at the club to ensure that football is safe & enjoyable for all involved.

A massive thank you to all of our committee, all of our coaches, and to our COVID Officer Vicki Prowle who have all been working so hard in the back ground to ensure our children have been able to return safely to their football this season.

It has been a challenge to ensure a small club such as ours can provide a playing environment as safe as possible for our own players, parents and supporters, match officials, and also visiting teams. There has been an enormous amount of information and guidelines to work through and the set-up we have developed appears to be working very well.

We also wanted to thank all of the players and parents who have been so understanding, and have helped massively by listening to our requests, and following the guidelines we have developed.

Our committee and COVID Officer have been working extremely hard with the FA to develop our COVID-19 strategy.

Along with the FA and many other clubs, we have developed a Code of Behaviour which we expect our Coaches, Players, Parents, and Supporters to follow.

Following guidance from the FA and the UK government, we have also undertaken an extensive risk assessment which will be continuously monitored.

For further information, please visit our Club Policies and Codes section of our website, or alternatively you can download our documents here directly.

Ashwell Academicals – COVID-19 Code of Behaviour

COVID-19 – FA Guidance for Parents and Carers

Ashwell Academicals – COVID-19 Risk assessment

Over the last season, all of our Ashwell Accies teams have been donating their old kit for re-cycling to KitAid.

KitAid is a charity that recycles your once loved football kit and distributes to underprivileged children and adults in some of the world’s poorest countries.

So soon, we may have an Accies team in other part of the world hopefully winning games in their Ashwell Accies shirts.

Unfortunately due to the current COVID-19 situation we are now postponing all training and matches with immediate effect.

This decision has been made with advice from the FA and government which is for the safety of players, coaches, parents and others.

We have done our best to try and continue running as normal for as long as possible, however with more actions being put into place, now is the time where we as a club have to stop but still work together in listening to advice/instructions from the government to try and overcome this pandemic.

the FA said;
We have issued a further update regarding the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on football in England.

Following the Government’s announcement today, for people to avoid social contact and gatherings where possible, we are now advising that all grassroots football in England is postponed for the foreseeable future.

Throughout this period, we have taken Government advice with the priority being the health and wellbeing of all. We will continue to work closely with the grassroots game during this time.

We are in regular communication with the Government and the situation within English football at all levels remains under regular review. Further updates will follow as needed.

Stay safe everyone