Irwin Mitchell Have Donated Funds To The Pontefract Pirates To Enable Them To Buy New Football Kits

A Yorkshire disability football club is a big step closer to getting a new football kit thanks to receiving a £500 grant from the Leeds office of national law firm Irwin Mitchell.

The Pontefract Pirates DFC is an adult and junior football club for people with learning difficulties and disabilities. The grant from the law firm will enable the Pirates to purchase new football kits.

Irwin Mitchell’s donation comes as the Pirates celebrate their tenth anniversary, having originally been set up in early 2008. The team was established as part of Pontefract Collieries FC in an attempt to help those with learning difficulties in the town who still wanted to play and enjoy football.

Dan Grace, Community Development Officer at Pontefract Collieries, said: “Thanks to their kind donation, Irwin Mitchell has helped us with this and their actions have given the whole team a huge lift as we look to mark the Pirates ten-year anniversary with new kits.

“The Pirates were founded by Gary Smith and Trevor Waddington and have grown to be one of the biggest Disability clubs in the region, with some of those who came ten years ago still involved today.

“Countless players have had life-changing opportunities on a national and worldwide stage and these opportunities continue to be available to this day.

“For example, a number of players won medals at the UK Special Olympics in Sheffield in August last year, while players regularly get picked for the Mencap GB team which competes at the European Championships in Geneva every year.”

Irwin Mitchell’s Don’t Quit, Do It campaign seeks to support the benefits both physically and psychologically of being involved in disability sports and is supported by multiple gold-medal winning Paralympian Hannah Cockroft MBE.

Charities, individuals and groups involved in inclusive sport are eligible to apply for money to help with the cost of training, buying specialist equipment or taking part in special events. The programme has already given out £4000 to projects across the UK.

Cathryn Godfrey, a serious injury specialist at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office, said: 

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“Through our work we have seen on numerous occasions how sport has been able to help our clients with rehabilitation following serious injury.

“Unfortunately, while there are over 12 million people with disabilities in the UK, only one in six actually takes part in sport regularly.

“Part of this is due to the lack of funding and availability of specialist equipment and, with that in mind, we hope these grants will help support individuals and sports teams so they can realise their true potential.

“We wish all the Pirate teams the very best for the future and look forward to supporting them in the months and years to come.” Cathryn Godfrey - Associate Solicitor

Irwin Mitchell is a proud supporter of disability sport and has partnerships the England Amputee Football Association, Boccia England and a host of other related organisations.

The law firm was also the Official Legal Services Provider of the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017 at the London Stadium in July last year, while it also supported the one-day Superhero Series event held at Dorney Lake in Windsor in August.

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's Don't Quit, Do It campaign.