Release Date: 05/08/2008

Author: by Robert Cuthbert

This summer Ambassadors FC travelled for the 4th time to West Africa. Previous tours since 2005 have helped us to build links with several football clubs, churches and also the Guinea Bissau Football Federation.

This year's touring party included a men's and a women's team with a total of 27 travelling from Northern Ireland. The aim of the tour was to give players a chance to see Africa, play against some local teams and also to coach kids who live without many of the luxuries we take for granted.

Both the men and the women played some high level teams, with the girls even taking on the Guinea Bissau national team in the national stadium. The guys had a match against a Senegalese Premier League team amongst others and they even featured on national TV in Guinea Bissau when they took on FC Danfa. It was a great opportunity to enjoy playing on different surfaces and also against a different style of football to back home. Despite the heat and difficult conditions both teams managed to hold their own and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We were also involved in coaching kids at a local school, a village and also at a street kids project. These were amazing times to invest in the lives of the local kids, many of whom do not own a pair of shoes and who gratefully accepted the t-shirts, footballs, water bottles and other gifts that we had brought out for them. It was thanks to the generosity of so many that we were able to bring out so much to give away to the teams we played against and also the kids we were coaching.

We were also invited to coach the Guinea Bissau U13's and U16's which again was a great opportunity for the coaches on tour.

Ambassadors FC aims to "bring hope through football" and it was a privilege to be able to use our love of the beautiful game to actually make a difference in the lives of those we met. Our thanks go to many local teams, individuals and churches that supported us and enabled us to bring out so much gear to give away. Thanks for your support.

www.aisint.org or ambassadorsfc.co.uk

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