Celebrations at FURD as project gets triple boost

Staff and young people at Football Unites, Racism Divides (FURD) are celebrating following recent news of a triple vote of confidence.

Firstly, FURD´s flagship Millennium Volunteers scheme was awarded two year continuation funding from the Department of Education and Skills, with a target of 150 MV Awards for 200 completed hours of voluntary work.

Second, the Football Foundation announced the award of a £100,000 grant over two years for the project´s coaching and educational work, with a view to a further 3 year´s funding from 2004-2007.

Finally, the FARE network of anti-racist football projects in Europe has received formal budgetary approval from the European Commission until August 2004. FURD operates the FARE website, which is currently being revamped.

FURD coordinator Howard Holmes commented ´Obviously we´re delighted with the news, which helps secure our short-term future. We´re currently working on a couple of exciting new developments which will greatly increase our scope. One is the partnership with Sheffield Futures to build the Porter Project on the old Pomona all-weather pitch, whilst we are preparing a bid to the Community Fund for an expansion of FURD´s unique Resources and Information Centre. In particular we´re looking to develop the use of the website (www.furd.org) as a tool for anti-racist education, including on-line materials and interactive games´