The care provider, which supports more than 130 clients across the local community, has donated a new defibrillator to the Community Trust Women, while also supporting the team through cardio screening and breast awareness initiatives.
WEF Care first connected with Michelle Slater, Head of Women and Girls Football at Chesterfield FC, after initially looking to support a grassroots football team.
Wayne from WEF Care explained: “We initially wanted to reach out to a grassroots football team. Ninety-nine per cent of our staff are female, and we were given Michelle’s name.
“She pointed us in the direction of the Chesterfield FC Community Trust Women and, after speaking to Michelle, we realised there was a real need for things that a sports team should have, such as cardio screening and other essentials.
“From my experience of dealing with football and grassroots, the males get sponsorship a little bit easier. So, dealing with Michelle, her professionalism and everything she’s told us about the Community Trust Women, and the fact that we wanted to deal with a female-associated team, it works perfectly.”
WEF Care first supported the team with health awareness, education and cardio screening before expanding the partnership this year with the donation of the defibrillator.
Wayne added: “We went down the route of health awareness, education and cardio screening last year, and this year we’ve expanded on that by buying a defibrillator.
“It’s essential. Accidents happen and there can be things that people are undiagnosed with. In the heat of a football match, anything can happen, and it’s not just the players, it could be someone watching as well.
“I think it’s a great purchase and we’re proud to be associated with the Community Trust Women.”
Despite WEF Care’s focus on supporting predominantly elderly clients in the community, Wayne believes it is important to give something back to the next generation too.
“We wanted to give back to a predominantly female group,” he explained. “A lot of our clients are housebound or bedbound, so it can be difficult to give them something back.
“We wanted to support the younger generation as well, and we’re more than happy with what the money is being spent on.”
Michelle believes the support is making a significant difference to players of all ages.
“We’re really thankful to Wayne and the WEF Care team,” she said. “We always promote kit sponsorship and front-of-shirt sponsorship, but the health and wellbeing of all our players is paramount to us.
“We have young girls playing from the age of six, seven and eight, right through to players in their 30s, so anything medical is really hard to come by.
“The support from WEF Care, whether that’s the defibrillator, cardio screening or breast awareness, really helps players understand their own bodies and supports them for the future.”
WEF Care also sponsors a digital board at the SMH Group Stadium, with Wayne keen to stress that the partnership is about much more than advertising.
“We’re not doing it for an advertising point of view,” he said. “We’re doing it to give something back to the community.
“We want to keep that partnership going, not short term, definitely for the long term, and we’ll do whatever we can to help in that department.”
