Charlton Athletic Community Trust and the Charlton Upbeats are proud to host the Down’s Syndrome Football Festival at Ballerz on Sunday, October 27th.
The festival will see some of the best Down’s syndrome teams from clubs across the country go head-to-head to be crowned champions.
Taking place at the state-of-the-art Ballerz Air Dome at Bluewater in Kent, matches will take place throughout the day, while participants and their families can enjoy the high-tech facilities which include a host of football skills games.
The event revives the Down’s Syndrome Active national tournament format which has seen the Upbeats lift the title on nine previous occasions and they will be one of a number of clubs vying for the trophy with Arsenal, Everton, Fulham, Newcastle United, Norwich City, Lincoln City and Swindon Town all being represented, with more to be confirmed.
“It’s a really exciting partnership with Ballerz,” said Carl Krauhaus, CACT’s Head of Early Help and Prevention. “We’re resurrecting the DS Festival which the Upbeats have been lucky enough, over the years to take part in, but it hasn’t run since the pandemic and we really wanted to try and revive it.
“We needed a venue that was fitting and we’re delighted to be able to agree a date to host the festival with a brilliant venue like Ballerz.
“It’s going to be a fantastic event and one that, we hope, will continue to grow over the years.”
The festival is being hosted thanks to the sponsorship of long-term partners of CACT, ITRM, while the DoubleTree by Hilton Dartford Bridge is supporting the event by offering discounted rates for travelling clubs to be part of the day.
The event is also supported by the Down’s Syndrome Association, who are long-standing supporters of the Upbeats and are committed to improving quality of life for people who have Down’s syndrome, promoting their right to be included on a full and equal basis with others.
Tilly Hawkins, Marketing & Communications Manager of ITRM said: “As long-term sponsors of CACT, ITRM are really excited to be part of the Down’s Syndrome Festival.
“The Upbeats Programme is something that is really close to our hearts and we can’t wait for what will be a really memorable day.”
Meanwhile, Jack White, Head of Football at Ballerz added: “We’re incredibly proud to be holding the DS Festival in association with ITRM and CACT and we’re really looking forward to it.
“We want every player to feel like a Champions League player, playing under the lights on some of the best occasions and that’s the sort of experience that all of the players are going to be able to enjoy on the day.
“It’s important for us to be a big part of community football in Kent and, working with Charlton as one of the biggest community trusts, is so important. Our motto is ‘every player is welcome’ and we want to make sure that happens.”