Jon Smith
NotTheRealJon's Saints Foundation Big Bike Challenge 2018 page
Fundraising for Saints Foundation
Story
Update: 31st January
Saints Foundation: Empowerment through Inspiration
"empowerment"
‘authority or power given to someone to do something, the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights’
Empowerment for me is the strongest and most valuable word in the dictionary and it's the reason why I've chosen to support the Saints Foundation. They empower through inspiration.
Empowerment is taking the raw materials from the young, disadvantaged or disabled and turning their energy into something positive. Inspiring them to lead a better life through knowledge and nurturing and to take control of their lives. They give them the ability to develop themselves. Empowerment means recognising your strengths and weaknesses and using this knowledge to make positive those choices.
Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for the day. Give him a fishing rod and teach him how to fish he'll never go hungry. The Saints Foundation provides the fishing rod, shows how to hook the bait and where to throw the line and this was perfectly demonstrated recently by Gary, June, Aaron, and Julie who all received employment after completing the Foundation's employability programme after selling the Big Issue.
Lisa Latona is a Saints4Sport Project Officer. Originally from the north of England Lisa’s very much part of the fabric of the Saints Foundation and their projects in enabling the disadvantaged and challenged to better themselves. Lisa was at the heart of the project that enabled Gary, June, Aaron and Julie to eventually end up in employment.
I asked Lisa, what her proudest moment was in empowering people through the Foundation.
"It’s so hard to pick one ‘proud’ moment when honestly, every single day I’m so proud. Proud of my project, working for the foundation but especially for all the participants Involved. Every hour they are with me, they are there because they want to be. They want to improve their life in some sense, whether this is mentally, physically, or emotionally. My participants are always thanking me for my support and that I have helped them achieve things they didn’t think possible but it’s actually them who have put in all the hard work, I have just given them the tools to make positive changes, they are the ones who decided to use them.
Their hard work and dedication to change their life for the better is my daily inspiration, when I’m feeling mentally, or emotionally weak I look to them. They have no idea of the positive impact they have on my life and I’m very lucky.
I have worked with individuals who never thought they would overcome addiction, social anxiety, depression, but they do – they lead healthy lifestyles, achieve qualifications, make new friends, and gain employment. It’s amazing."
Someone who has the ability to empower a person truly is a hero. The gift of empowerment is the biggest gift anyone can receive.
This is why I’m raising money for the Saints Foundation through the Big Bike Challenge.
1st January - It's Not About The Bike
It's about the Saints Foundation and the excellent work that they do in the local community and afar through their association with Southampton FC.
It's about
Health and wellbeingEducationEmployability and learningSchools and the communityFootball and sports developmentSaints4allIt's about looking after the mascots on match days and creating a day to remember. A memory that will stay with them for life. It's about hosting your kids birthday parties.
It's about Paul Hedges and Marion Gealer, the project officers leading the Saints Fans In Training (SFIT) course I've had the great fortune to participate in. They motivate and educate and they've played a huge part in laying the foundations of change in my personal journey as well my colleagues on the course. They've introduced me a brilliant bunch of blokes, all focused and doing well on their individual journeys.
It's about getting the likes of Nathan Redmond, Manolo Gabbiadini and Florin Gardos joining Big Issue vendors to sell a special Saints edition of the magazine, as part of the launch of a unique partnership between the two organisations. Getting extremely highly paid footballers onto the streets and seeing, helping and inspiring those in our community in dire need.
But all those things above happen because of the true heroes of my club. Football players come and go and some we'll look back with the odd favourable memory of a great goal or remember a howler but these are only moments in time. People such as Lisa Latona, a Saints4Sport Project Officer, do more than create the odd great memory, they lay the foundations of change for life by helping people in the community learn the skills they need to do well. They help them through sport, they help them achieve accreditations and they help them find jobs. They give a helping hand to those that have suffered hardship through injury, disability or bad luck in life. Everyone deserves a chance in life and my club, through Lisa achieves that. The video below describes it far better than the words I can write.
https://southamptonfc.com/news/2017-12-14/video-saints-foundation-saints4sport-christmas-event-st-marys
They do all this great work in the community, in the name of Southampton FC but they're a charity which is why, now that the Foundation has played a major part in changing my life I'm paying it back by partaking in the Big Bike Ride, a cycle ride from the Etihad, home of Manchester City, to St Mary's for the last home game of the season.
http://saintsfoundation.co.uk/big-bike-challenge-2/
It’s about connecting to young people and people with disabilities enabling them to access sport. It’s about inspiring and developing the leadership and well being and empowerment. It’s giving hope to people who otherwise have no aspirations in life to achieve and gaining a purpose.
This is where I need your help. I'm desperate to prove to myself that I can do the whole ride. If I raise £350 I can cycle from Swindon; raise £500 I can cycle from Tamworth and raise £750 and I do the whole ride. All I ask is that you click on the JustGiving link below and donate what you can.
So the bike? It's a small part of it but this article isn't about it.
It's about Lisa, Jordan, Marion, Paul. It's about Our Community. Our Club. Our Foundation.
You'd love to see a fat bloke ride 200 miles wouldn't you? You with me?
Saints Foundation: Empowerment through Inspiration
"empowerment"
‘authority or power given to someone to do something, the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights’
Empowerment for me is the strongest and most valuable word in the dictionary and it's the reason why I've chosen to support the Saints Foundation. They empower through inspiration.
Empowerment is taking the raw materials from the young, disadvantaged or disabled and turning their energy into something positive. Inspiring them to lead a better life through knowledge and nurturing and to take control of their lives. They give them the ability to develop themselves. Empowerment means recognising your strengths and weaknesses and using this knowledge to make positive those choices.
Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for the day. Give him a fishing rod and teach him how to fish he'll never go hungry. The Saints Foundation provides the fishing rod, shows how to hook the bait and where to throw the line and this was perfectly demonstrated recently by Gary, June, Aaron, and Julie who all received employment after completing the Foundation's employability programme after selling the Big Issue.
Lisa Latona is a Saints4Sport Project Officer. Originally from the north of England Lisa’s very much part of the fabric of the Saints Foundation and their projects in enabling the disadvantaged and challenged to better themselves. Lisa was at the heart of the project that enabled Gary, June, Aaron and Julie to eventually end up in employment.
I asked Lisa, what her proudest moment was in empowering people through the Foundation.
"It’s so hard to pick one ‘proud’ moment when honestly, every single day I’m so proud. Proud of my project, working for the foundation but especially for all the participants Involved. Every hour they are with me, they are there because they want to be. They want to improve their life in some sense, whether this is mentally, physically, or emotionally. My participants are always thanking me for my support and that I have helped them achieve things they didn’t think possible but it’s actually them who have put in all the hard work, I have just given them the tools to make positive changes, they are the ones who decided to use them.
Their hard work and dedication to change their life for the better is my daily inspiration, when I’m feeling mentally, or emotionally weak I look to them. They have no idea of the positive impact they have on my life and I’m very lucky.
I have worked with individuals who never thought they would overcome addiction, social anxiety, depression, but they do – they lead healthy lifestyles, achieve qualifications, make new friends, and gain employment. It’s amazing."
Someone who has the ability to empower a person truly is a hero. The gift of empowerment is the biggest gift anyone can receive.
This is why I’m raising money for the Saints Foundation through the Big Bike Challenge.
1st January - It's Not About The Bike
It's about the Saints Foundation and the excellent work that they do in the local community and afar through their association with Southampton FC.
It's about
Health and wellbeingEducationEmployability and learningSchools and the communityFootball and sports developmentSaints4allIt's about looking after the mascots on match days and creating a day to remember. A memory that will stay with them for life. It's about hosting your kids birthday parties.
It's about Paul Hedges and Marion Gealer, the project officers leading the Saints Fans In Training (SFIT) course I've had the great fortune to participate in. They motivate and educate and they've played a huge part in laying the foundations of change in my personal journey as well my colleagues on the course. They've introduced me a brilliant bunch of blokes, all focused and doing well on their individual journeys.
It's about getting the likes of Nathan Redmond, Manolo Gabbiadini and Florin Gardos joining Big Issue vendors to sell a special Saints edition of the magazine, as part of the launch of a unique partnership between the two organisations. Getting extremely highly paid footballers onto the streets and seeing, helping and inspiring those in our community in dire need.
But all those things above happen because of the true heroes of my club. Football players come and go and some we'll look back with the odd favourable memory of a great goal or remember a howler but these are only moments in time. People such as Lisa Latona, a Saints4Sport Project Officer, do more than create the odd great memory, they lay the foundations of change for life by helping people in the community learn the skills they need to do well. They help them through sport, they help them achieve accreditations and they help them find jobs. They give a helping hand to those that have suffered hardship through injury, disability or bad luck in life. Everyone deserves a chance in life and my club, through Lisa achieves that. The video below describes it far better than the words I can write.
https://southamptonfc.com/news/2017-12-14/video-saints-foundation-saints4sport-christmas-event-st-marys
They do all this great work in the community, in the name of Southampton FC but they're a charity which is why, now that the Foundation has played a major part in changing my life I'm paying it back by partaking in the Big Bike Ride, a cycle ride from the Etihad, home of Manchester City, to St Mary's for the last home game of the season.
http://saintsfoundation.co.uk/big-bike-challenge-2/
It’s about connecting to young people and people with disabilities enabling them to access sport. It’s about inspiring and developing the leadership and well being and empowerment. It’s giving hope to people who otherwise have no aspirations in life to achieve and gaining a purpose.
This is where I need your help. I'm desperate to prove to myself that I can do the whole ride. If I raise £350 I can cycle from Swindon; raise £500 I can cycle from Tamworth and raise £750 and I do the whole ride. All I ask is that you click on the JustGiving link below and donate what you can.
So the bike? It's a small part of it but this article isn't about it.
It's about Lisa, Jordan, Marion, Paul. It's about Our Community. Our Club. Our Foundation.
You'd love to see a fat bloke ride 200 miles wouldn't you? You with me?
