By Micky Ross
Team Bananenflanke (https://www.team-bananenflanke.de/)
What a way it was to mark the opening game of the European Championships, Germany v Scotland!
Team Bananenflanke is an innovative football project specifically for children with physical or mental handicaps. The focus is on football, but there is much more behind it: experiential educational influences awaken emotions that help develop personality and social skills. The focus is on conveying a sense of success and the associated building of positive self-esteem.
The project is now being carried out across Germany and is independently organized in non-profit associations. To them, “Football knows no borders!”, and this is a motto which the Tartan Army Sunshine Appeal share.
Dominik Lorenzer, president of Team Bananenflanke München, had the following words to say when we first approached them that we would be donating to them:
“Your message was one of the best messages this year so far! We are so happy and cannot believe it that you want to support us. We are more than grateful and I do not find words for your support.”
With the money they can afford a full year’s training camp for all kids, which is truly amazing, and shows the power of football!
On the afternoon of match day, four of the TASA steering group and a fair few Tartan Army members congregated at the Augustiner Schützengarten to the South of Munich. This was set up to show the Germany v Scotland match in the evening, but a large stage had also been set up for the TASA presentation – surely one of the grandest arrangements we’ve had for such an occasion!
The activities were kicked off in excellent fashion by a few tunes from a superb Munich based pipe band (grade 1 standard to my ears), before Matthew Preston from the British Embassy – who had helped with the organisation of the day’s events – introduced Dominik. He described for the assembled audience what Team Bananenflanke do. Then, Neil Forbes, TASA chairman, reciprocated with a few words about what we do, and officially presented Dominik with a cheque for £5,000 (around 5,800 Euros).
The event was filmed by Sky TV for a UK news item, and after the official presentation, we were interviewed by Luke Shanley. This gave us the chance to talk about TASA’s activities over the last 21 years and unfortunately for a few of us, make fools of ourselves with our score predictions for the evening’s match!
We are indebted to the many people who helped arrange the day. Our thanks also to those who turned up to watch the presentation on such an auspicious occasion for TASA and to a host of people involved with German football, including Scottish football commentator Derek Rae, football journalist Christoph Biermann, reporter Fabian Jonas of 11FREUNDE, and his friend Michael Wiethaus, for recommending Team Bananenflanke.
#Teamwork #EverywhereWeGo