Silverstone Leasing’s Annual Charity Football match brings the community together.
Silverstone Soccer – part networking, and part football league is an annual fundraiser, run by Silverstone Leasing where local businesses are able to meet on the pitch and in the stands in support of local charities – this year the event supported The Lewis Foundation who provide care packages to adults with a cancer diagnosis, and CLICK Arts Foundation who give grants to grassroots arts projects promoting access to the many benefits of the arts for under-served local groups.
The event drew sponsorship from:
Kilsby Commercial Interiors Ltd, Proaction Martial Arts (who also ran family sessions on the day), Wollaston BMW, Northants Life, SinglePoint Calls Ltd, Galahad Design, Ashby Computer Services
and featured 12 teams:
Asset Engineering Services Ltd, Proaction Martial Arts, Singer Vehicle Design, Imagine Building Services Ltd, Silverstone Leasing, RateSync, WollastonBMW, EquiTech Group, Carmac Building & Civil Engineering Ltd, Halo Corporate Finance Ltd, Northampton Town FC (Official), and the United African Association
– with Proaction Martial Arts winning the Plate, and The United African Association (whose 5 man team featured no substitutes) winning the 1st Place Trophy!
We spoke with members of the UAA Team Chiko, AJ, Lloyd and Xavier who said "Organisation was excellent. Very professional. We were happy to go all the way and win the tournament"; and
"Omo, we were so excited to get our T-shirts! It felt like we really were representing UAA"…Silverstone Leasing had dressed each team to a ‘t’ with specially printed football shirts for the match.
“This event is more than raising money,” said CLICK Founder, Dr Audrey Tang, “With these two chosen charities in particular, it’s about being able to support people at their most challenging moments, and outside those times to help them to thrive.” To the uplifting DJ-ing set from Lee Lewis, The CLICK Burlesque Squad known as “The Qweens” – who exude the energy and confidence the arts offer to everybody…that’s every body – teaching body appreciation and love of body functionality, opened the event with their Cheer – bringing a touch of USA World Cup glamour to proceedings.
In attendance also, were Ms Northampton Beth Willett-Byrne and Ms Northamptonshire Gemma Young – who will be representing Town and County in the UK’s National Miss Pageant this week!
Ryan Bishop from Silverstone Leasing. who organised the whole event stated ’Silverstone Soccer was created to bring businesses together in a different way through teamwork, networking and giving back. It's fantastic to see so many organisations supporting two incredible charities while enjoying a day of friendly competition. We're proud to play a small part in helping strengthen the connections that make our local community thrive.’
The generosity from the event will last long after the trophy is set down, Lorraine Lewis of The Lewis Foundation responded to the day ‘A huge thank you to Ryan and everyone at Silverstone Leasing for the hard work put in to make Sunday's event a true success. It was great to see so many local businesses participate to make a difference in the lives of others in their local community. Events like this not only raise awareness of the work done by The Lewis Foundation and Click Art Foundation but also raises funds that will make a tangible impact to the lives of others in our community. Proud to be a part of such a fantastic day.’
The winners of the trophy, the United African Association are also no stranger to the joyful community spirit events like this generate – a Northampton charity themselves they have just started their own community football club, alongside running employability workshops, swimming lessons, wellbeing walks, an allotment, a culturally sensitive foodbank with cooking lessons, and of course their music workshops and performances with the Dancing Drums. They added "Omo, the event was too good! I really enjoyed playing, no be small. Please keep us posted when the next one is coming up!"
It’s events such as these that remind us of how much amazing work is being done in our community – as well as how beautifully organisations and charities come together in support of each other to make our space that little bit more joyful for all.
Silverstone Soccer is more than just a 5-a-side football tournament. It’s a day where local businesses, friends, families, and the wider Northampton community come together for something bigger than the game itself.