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More than 150 men and women took part in the Spoor & Fisher 4 Africa Challenge Trophy 2022, lasraising over £10,000 to support the ongoing work of the Jersey 2 Africa 4 Football Foundation, a Jersey-based non-profit organisation dedicated to improving young lives in Africa on and off the field through football.
The mixed teams, included the Jersey Learning Disabilities Team, competed for the Spoor & Fisher 4 Africa Challenge Trophy 2022, and they also took part in a Crossbar Challenge and a Shooting Accuracy Challenge. There was a Fair Play Award too, decided by points awarded to each team in every game, by the referees.
Main Sponsors, Spoor and Fisher emerged victorious in the main competition, after a hard-fought final with Kleinwort Hambros, very worth runners-up. In third place was the team from Aztec, while Newtel came in a commendable 4th. The full results are here, including the winners of the Crossbar and Shooting Accuracy Challenges and the Fair Play Award:
The matches were overseen by volunteer referees, two from Africa, two from Jersey, and volunteers on the day included representatives from the Jersey Friends of Africa, an organisation that promotes, celebrates and enhances the profile of African culture and Africa here, and supports the growing number of people of African descent who have made Jersey their home.
Ricky Weir, the tournament organiser and the Founder/Chairman of the Jersey 2 Africa 4 Football Foundation, said:
“It was a fantastic event, and we are so grateful to all those who took part. Whilst on the face of it, their lives may seem a million miles apart from the young people we assist in the deprived communities in Kenya, football is truly the common denominator, whether it’s played on the dirt fields of Nairobi or the first-class 3G surface at Springfield, as was the case this weekend. My sincere thanks, particularly, to our sponsors, Spoor & Fisher, without whom we would have struggled to make the event what it was, their support has been invaluable, and to all the volunteers who helped make the day tremendously enjoyable and fun for those who took part. Our congratulations go to all the teams, not only to the trophy winners, for the spirit, fair play and fun in which they took part, playing with smiles on their faces, which is what football should be all about.”
Chris Smith, Associate Director at Spoor & Fisher, said:
“Congratulations to the team at Jersey 2 Africa 4 Football for organising such an enjoyable tournament. At Spoor & Fisher, we are passionate about Africa and passionate about football, so we are delighted to support such a worthwhile event. It’s great that our enjoyment playing football in Jersey is replicated on fields far away through the work of Ricky Weir and his team.”
Gary Norman, Head Coach of the Jersey Learning Disabilities team, commented:
“Everyone in the squad thoroughly enjoyed the day and learnt so much. The game time and experience were invaluable as a warm-up to a tournament we’re taking part in at the end of May in Wrexham.”
The Jersey 2 Africa 4 Football Foundation is already planning next year’s event. If you are interested in getting involved, please email j2a4fb@gmail.com.
