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Down's syndrome football event returns

Charlton Athletic Community Trust Eleven men dressed in football gear consisting of red shirts and black bottoms, or white shorts, with the exception of two men wearing blue shirts. They are standing in an empty football pitch with empty stands of red seats in the background.Charlton Athletic Community Trust
The event will be held at Ballerz in Bluewater, which said its motto is: "Every player is welcome"

The Down's Syndrome Football Festival is set to take place at Bluewater in Kent on Sunday.

The event is hosted by Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) and the Charlton Upbeats, which is a programme for children and adults with Down's syndrome.

Matches will take place at the Ballerz Air Dome at the Kent shopping centre from 10:00 GMT to 16:00.

Carl Krauhaus, CACT's head of early help and prevention, said: "We are resurrecting the DS Festival which the Upbeats have been lucky enough over the years to take part in, but it has not run since the pandemic and we really wanted to try and revive it."

“It’s going to be a fantastic event and one that, we hope, will continue to grow over the years.”

Charlton Athletic Community Trust Fifteen football players posing on a pitch, with eight of them kneeling, and a football is central and in front of one of the players. Seven are wearing red football shirts with white shorts, and seven are wearing white shirts with black shorts. The one other play is wearing a blue shirt and blue shortsCharlton Athletic Community Trust
The Charlton Upbeats are nine times National Down’s Syndrome Active champions

The festival will see teams from clubs across the country, including Arsenal, Everton and Fulham, competing to be crowned champions.

Jack White, head of football at Ballerz, said: “We are incredibly proud to be holding the DS Festival in association with ITRM and CACT and we are 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."

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