Reading half-marathon runner wants to help young people start a career in football

Phil Stafford, a qualified teacher and coach at Reading FC Community Trust (RFCT), is asking the public to help fund a free place on a football coaching qualification course for a young person who cannot afford to pay for it themselves.

Phil is running this weekend's Reading half-marathon raising enough to cover the FA Introduction to Coaching, First Aid, and Safeguarding qualifications that are the minimum requirements for employment at the Trust, as well as the half marathon entry fee that made the fundraiser possible.

Phil, who has worked at RFCT for a decade, recently recorded a personal best of 1:57:40 at the Wokingham Half Marathon. He also completed the Thames Pathway Ultra Marathon last year. But it is what happens off the running routes that is driving this campaign.

Career

Phil said: "Reading FC Community Trust is a registered charity, and our mission is to use the power of football to change lives. Sometimes the difference between a young person starting a career in sport and missing out entirely comes down to £160. That's not a barrier that should exist, and this fundraiser is my small attempt to remove it.

"This cause is close to my heart. I've spent ten years watching young people light up when they get their first coaching opportunity. I've also seen what happens when that door stays closed simply because of money. Every pound donated here doesn't just pay for a qualification — it potentially starts a career, and careers change lives."

Any funds raised above the £200 target will go directly towards funding additional young people through the same qualification pathway, extending the reach of the campaign beyond a single beneficiary.

To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/runforcoaches

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