Magic experience for deserving children at Nottingham Forest

A group of deserving children have had a day to remember after meeting their footballing heroes at Nottingham Forest.

The special link-up between Nottinghamshire Police and Nottingham Forest saw 17 young people and those who care for them enjoy a behind-the-scenes experience at the City Ground on matchday.

Young people identified by the force’s Children in Care Team were invited to watch Forest’s Premier League home match against Arsenal on 17 January as part of the club’s Magic Moments initiative.

The scheme gifts tickets to children and young people who face hardship or vulnerability, ensuring they can share in the excitement of a matchday at the football.

After receiving Forest shirts from the club, the special afternoon began with a visit to the media suite and an opportunity to sit in the manager’s chair, before walking down the tunnel for pitch-side photographs and to soak up the pre-match atmosphere.

They then met both the Forest and Arsenal players as the teams arrived. This included club stars and England internationals Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson.

The players posed for photographs and signed shirts during the highlight of the afternoon.

The force’s Children in Care Team works with more than 100 children’s homes across the city and the county.

They aim to stop children in care being disproportionately criminalised and use a trauma-informed approach to try to keep them out of the criminal justice system.

Children in care often face significant early trauma, instability, and abuse, leaving them more vulnerable to exploitation and crime.

Analysis from The Government reveals that people who have been in care are four times more likely to receive a criminal conviction and ten times more likely to end up in prison compared to everyone else.  

During their visit, the young people were joined by the force’s Youth Outreach Team, who often work with children at risk of offending or exclusion from school.

They are experts at working with young people in an informal and engaging way to earn their trust and confidence, and overcome the barriers often associated with a traditional police uniform.

They aim to help young people make positive life choices and decisions, amplify their voices, and improve relationships between the police, communities, and young people by offering bespoke one-to-one support and referrals to other specialist services.

Tremayne Blair, Nottinghamshire Police’s youth outreach lead, said: “We recognise the importance of building trust with communities and individuals who have had a more challenging start to life.

“It is an unfortunate reality that children in care are more likely to become involved with the criminal justice system – something we actively want to change, which is why early engagement work like this is so important.

“Our youth outreach and children in care teams play a key role in supporting young people to make positive life choices and steer them away from criminality and exploitation.

“By engaging with them early and providing opportunities, we can help guide them towards a brighter future and change lives.

“This is an excellent example of how partnership working can enrich the lives of young people, and I’d like to extend my thanks to Nottingham Forest for their support.”

Will D'Hooghe, Nottingham Forest’s head of fan engagement, said: “We were absolutely delighted to welcome children and young people from Nottingham Police’s Children in Care Team to the City Ground as part of our Magic Moments initiative.

“We’re incredibly proud of this partnership and of the opportunity to put a smile on the faces of the children for the day, from meeting their heroes to soaking up the buzz and excitement of a Premier League matchday.

“Creating memories like these is exactly what Magic Moments is all about, and it was a pleasure to share such a special experience with them."