The Juniors club has recently been awarded the much-coveted Football Association Charter Standard status for a further three years. This award is in recognition of the high standards of the club where the welfare and safety of the children is paramount. All of our managers are FA qualified, have first aid qualifications and are CRB checked. We have a fully inclusive policy and it is particularly rewarding to see that this pays dividends not just in the strong friendship of the children but also with so many of our teams now riding-high, or even at the top, of their leagues.

The club plays a real role in the community and has grown from small beginnings to having 14 teams and almost 150 children from the town and surrounding villages spread over 12 age groups from Under 6s to Under 16s.

Using football and its modern coaching techniques is an ideal vehicle to promote well-being, mental stimulation and physical co-ordination to pre-school age children. The Football Association actively promotes football pre-school age group and both the Football Development Officer and Girls/Women's Development Officer currently target this age group through activity development programmes. Within the primary school age range there is the opportunity for young people to develop both social and physical well-being through participation in sporting activities. With this age group the emphasis is still very much based upon taking part and having fun.

The Charter Standard Scheme is best practice guide that sets standards of coaching, administration and child protection for clubs working with young people. As a benchmark for quality, it will improve the playing experience for all.

The FA Charter Standard Clubs programme, supported by FA Community Partner McDonald's, was launched in February 2001 and is a core component of The FA Football Development programme

The project is aimed at all clubs outside the Football League and Premier League, players, children and parents find a club in their local area that meets FA standards.

Criteria

The FA, in conjunction with various bodies, has drawn up the following set of criteria for clubs wishing to reach Charter Standard:

•A written constitution
•FA CRB checked volunteers
•All managers to have minimum of FA Level 1 Coaching Course
•Commitment to attend in-service training
•Acceptance and promotion of Codes of Conduct
•Commitment to provide Mini-Soccer opportunities for Under 10s
•Commitment to promote schools liaison and equal opportunities for all

The football club began in 1998 with a single parent who started to coach a group of children including his son. Other parents helped and additional age groups were also formed.

The club aims to build on its previous successes and expand further to provide football to all possible groups in a safe environment and to broaden opportunities for more minority groups such as womens football in a wider area than the immediate vicinity of Axbridge.