Bryan Powell and Alan Stoppard: City of Chelmsford Mencap Football Club

Past President Keith Dabbs opened the meeting by reading “In Flanders Fields” by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae. John McCrae was a Canadian doctor and poet. He wrote the poem in 1915 after witnessing the slaughter in Ypres. He died of pneumonia and meningitis in France on 28 January 1918.

We followed it with a minute’s silence.

Our speakers were Rtn Bryan Powell and Russell Hyman from the City of Chelmsford Mencap Football Club. Bryan said his involvement with Mencap started many years ago when his South London Rotary Club was volunteering to drive their mini-buses. He continued the involvement through Chelmer Bridge when he moved to Chelmsford in 1999. He is now a member of the Phoenix Rotary Club and is Chelmsford Mencap’s longest serving trustee. Mencap recognise 36 learning disabilities.

The football club started in 2013 with a grant from the FA under the “Grow the Game” scheme and now plays in the Essex Soccability League Premiership Division along with teams from Westcliff, Harwich and Basildon. They play once a month with four matches of 20 minutes duration.

Russell, vice-chairman of the club, said the team train on Saturdays with a qualified coach from Chelmsford City Football Club. Members of the team benefit from improved fitness and team work. The club has been so successful that they are now looking to form a second team.

Unfortunately the initial funding from the FA only lasted three years and the club now relies on donations. Donations from Round table and ourselves have enabled the club to buy a full kit for 16 players.