Hi - My name is David and I am one of the coaches for the Leeds Schools Junior Soccer Association. Leeds Schools was formerly known as Leeds City Boys and as such was the major stepping stone for aspiring soccer players. Many famous names represented the city of Leeds and then went on to greater success within the professional game - for example the current Match of the Day summariser Micah Richards, ex England Midfield maestro David Batty, ex Leeds United striker Noel Whelan all at one time represented Leeds City Boys.

Now through the guise of Leeds Schools Football Association we run both boys and girls reprentative teams from Under 11 through to Under 16.

I wonder if anyone within the wider Leeds Business contact / network or friends and colleagues on the various social media platforms may be in a position / be prepared to help in any way with this.

During the Easter Holiday, the Leeds Schools Football Association (will be taking three representative teams — Under 12s, Under 13s and Under 14s — to compete in the Mare Nostrum Cup International Football Tournament in Barcelona. These Leeds teams will represent the City against some of the best junior football teams in Europe, many of which are linked to leading professional clubs within elite academy structures. It is a fantastic opportunity for our young players to experience international football and showcase the quality of football within Leeds. The tour and tournament are entirely self-funded by the players and their families. The squads will travel to Salou on 1st April, returning on 5th April.

As part of our preparation, the coaching team are fundraising to provide tour travel kit for all players and coaches. This will include a casual shirt, shorts and top to be worn during non-playing activities, helping the group look professional and united while representing the city. The total cost of the tour kit is approximately £1,600.

Thanks to our Christmas fundraising efforts, we have already raised around £750, covering nearly half of the required amount. While we continue our own internal fundraising activities, we are also exploring whether there may be individual sponsors or local businesses willing to support us in reaching our goal. If anyone feels they may be in a position to help, we would be delighted to speak with you.

We would love to welcome sponsors or individual donors who wish to be part of this exciting journey and support young players representing Leeds on the international stage.

https://marenostrumcup.com/ https://www.leedsschoolsfa.co.uk/

Our target is now set at £600 - which if achieved along with our existing efforts will really allow the squads to make such an impact for the city of Leeds at the Opening Ceremony in Salou and then at the various official venues used throughout our time in Spain.