Our Impact
“They were accepting of who we were.”
Jaiden Brown, 24, is a poignant example of how St. Katharine’s Trust has helped him grow while giving a sense of focus and purpose through the years. At age 13 Jaiden was playing for a secondary school and was not happy with the way the coach treated the players. Just as he started looking for another coach, he met Matin. Ever since, he has made his way up the ranks with the Under 16 team followed by getting into the Men’s team.
During his time at St. Katharine’s, Jaiden has helped organize Table Tennis for seniors and been an active member in the background. He has gone from strength to strength, getting an FA level badge. As a result he has obtained work with the West Ham FC grassroots teams aged from 2-3 up to 15-16 years. His first proper coaching job was for the girls’ team.
“They give you opportunities that other places wouldn’t.
Other places would have asked for previous experience and I didn’t have any, but Matin trusted me. It’s not just me, my friends have had opportunities from the St. Katharine’s trust as adults.
The staff are amazing. They have done cycling marathons to raise funds. Matin has put money out of his own pockets for kids to get memberships. But we still need more funding. Other activities like Basketball and Table tennis will definitely benefit from this.”
St Katharine' Trust helps a range of children, young people and adults access sport and activity opportunities that otherwise do not exist. Discrimination, financial barriers and lack of access contribute towards opportunity for disadvantaged residents. To find out more about people like Jaiden and others who have benefitted from the work of St Katharine's Trust, please get in touch.