FutboLISTAS – by Graeme Baxter

futbolistassevilla.es/en/About-Us/

In the large training complex of Estadio La Cartuja, early on match day, we were privileged to meet the team and coaches from the FutboLISTAS programme – our selected recipient for our donation in Seville, ahead of the Spain v Scotland Euro 2024 Qualifier.

The FutboLISTAS is a football programme for girls aged 5 – 12 in the Seville area, to not only teach football, but to teach valuable life skills, and is delivered in both Spanish and English to help the girls develop their understanding of both languages. Their aim is to “provide a supportive, inclusive, and empowering environment for girls” and to “encourage activities linked to healthy lifestyles, and committed to the personal and academic development of our girls”.

The coaches – Rafa and Marta – had arranged a special training session with the girls to combine with our visit, and take advantage of some extra training on the Spanish national holiday. They introduced us to the friendly spirit and ethos in which they teach the girls to play and spoke about the development of the girls over the different age groups.

TASA chair Neil Forbes then thanked our hosts for their kind welcome, and gave a summary of the work of the Sunshine Appeal, speaking about the way we raise our funds from supporter activities, and gave examples of the different organisations we’ve looked to support over the years.

With coach Rafa running some drills for the girls, we then got a chance to speak with the volunteers giving up their time to support the programme. They told us of their hopes of being able to use the donation to reach girls in some of the deprived areas of the city, offering then the chance to learn football, but give them a safe place to learn and develop, and have access to some of the professional mentors the programme brings in to offer advice and support.

Neil and Graeme handed over a cheque for €5,000 to Marta and Jessica, and were joined in the presentation photo by some of our supporters who had given up their time to join us at the presentation.

We thank the FutboLISTAS for hosting us, and wish them every success with the valuable programme they are delivering. Thanks also to our many friends in the Tartan Army for offering their support at the presentation.

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