South Shields FC Foundation is the club's charitable arm established in 2017 to improve the health and wellbeing of our local community.

We work with more than 900 children and young people each week in our schools, grass roots and community football programmes. Add to that another 300 who participate in dancing, boxing, brass band, banner group, health & fitness and dance activities at Harton Welfare and the number exceeds 1200 people each week.

Since 2017 we have delivered £3.3 million in social impact supporting the health and wellbeing of our community. That works out at £7 value for every £1 we spend.

Since March 2020 our activity programmes and income streams have been decimated by COVID-19. Whilst we have delivered as much as we can as safely as we can there has been a significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of the 1200 people we work with and on our normal fundraising campaigns.

So our challenge is to parents, players, coaches, participants and supporters is clear..."Get Active and Get Fundraising". We'd like you to walk or run as far as you can as often as you can during February. We aim to cover a cumulative 28,000 kilometers in 28 days. Please seek medical advice advice if you are unsure how far and how often to walk/run. This is a team effort and every little helps.

Here's some useful resources: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/?tabname=fitness-guides

We'd like you to raise funds by asking sponsors to donate what they can on this page. We'd like to raise £2800 which will be split between the Foundation and Cancer Connections.

If you're taking part...

1. Join SSFC Foundation running club on Strava https://www.strava.com/clubs/849538. You can do this even if you plan to walk, just set strava to run.

2. Go to the Foundation Just Giving Page and become a Fundraiser by clicking the orange button https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/FoundationFebruaryFundraiser . The text is already written you just need to add a target amount.

3. Follow the instructions to connect Strava to your new Fundraising page

4. Share your fundraising page on Facebook/Twitter etc.

Alternatively, each week e mail your strava map or completed distance to Foundation@southshieldsfc.co.uk so we can keep a check on our progress and update sponsors. Foundation players can submit their maps/progress via their team coach.