Earlier on in December I took part in a very special event. Lindon and I presented a Variety Sunshine Coach I sponsored to Football Beyond Borders, which works with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who are disengaged at school, helping them finish school with the skills and grades to make a successful transition into adulthood.

We presented it outside of Barlow RC High School in Manchester. They used the coach was for a sports session trip – the first of many, I hope, for disadvantaged kids around the northwest! I also donated 100 packs of Elf on the Shelf toys (well, this IS Christmas!)

Football Beyond Borders is a brilliant organisation. It helps young people finish school with the skills and grades to make a successful transition into adulthood. The hard working team do this by providing long-term, intensive support, built around relationships and young people’s passions, in the classroom and beyond giving them a much better understanding of life.

This Variety Sunshine Coach is sponsored by my Michael Josephson MBE Charity Ball 2019, and it has been a life saver to children and young adults. The past 18 months have been tumultuous, with young people spending a huge amount of time out of school. Those involved in education have worked tirelessly to ensure young people are attending school when it has been safe to do so, and have been able to access learning while schools have been closed.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that young people need to be in school and that their education is key to their development. Whether it be for academic, economic or social and emotional reasons, the fact is clear enough, as a society we have really grasped the importance of keeping young people in school.

Here’s to more support in 2022!