This year, BBC Radio Stoke (that’s the BBC local radio station covering south Cheshire) is celebrating its 50th birthday.
The station is using the anniversary as an opportunity to ‘Make A Difference’ and has attracted the support of Eddisbury MP Antoinette Sandbach in doing so.
BBC Radio Stoke is spearheading a campaign initiated by football coach Russ Powell who, at the age of 37, is dying from cancer.
Russ is using the time he has left to change attitudes around children and sport.
In an open letter, he stated: “I’ve seen first-hand children lose their love of the game because parents and coaches alike have sucked the enjoyment out of the game.
“Why as managers do we allow this to happen? We have a duty to make sure our players look forward to games with the same excitement week in week out.
“We as managers need to look forward to these games as much as the players.
“We need to make sure that enjoyment is the main priority for everybody. The enlightening thing about being told you’re dying is you get to choose how to live your remaining days.
“For me I plan to spend as much time having fun as I can and making sure that the players around me have as much fun as they can.
“I simply refuse to make a player feel bad because they’ve missed as penalty, misplaced a pass or lacks natural ability in their game.
“Now you may read this and dismiss it that’s your choice. The one thing to think about is, you never know when your last team talk will be or the last time you see your child play football.
“I know that time for me is soon and I want to make it an incredible experience.”
Working with Russ, BBC Radio Stoke has compiled Russ’ Rules – a set of guidelines which are designed to remind us all that sport, especially for children, should be fun.
Antoinette Sandbach MP got in touch with us to show her backing for the campaign.
She said: “I am immensely touched by the inspiring work that Russ is undertaking. I would strongly encourage as many sports clubs as possible of all kinds sign up to the scheme.
“This has the potential to change the experience children have with sport and will really make a difference.”
BBC Radio Stoke will be using the coming weeks and months to sign up as many sports clubs as possible to the scheme. The initiative is applicable to all sports clubs.
The station is also hosting a special Make A Difference Awards event in June, and is calling on locals to nominate their community heroes.
If you want to find out more, visit: www.bbc.co.uk/radiostoke
