Aberdeen Football Club have delivered 300 footballs to a north-east primary school after they won an AberDNA Junior competition.
Members of the club’s free under-12 membership scheme had been encouraged to register their school for a chance to land the Adidas balls, with pupils at Charleston Primary School the lucky winners.
Dons midfielder Dean Campbell delivered the balls – with 285 going to the kids and 15 to school staff for use during PE lessons.
The Reds’ commercial director Rob Wicks said: “AberDNA Junior is helping us to nurture the fans of the future by building on the excellent schools’ outreach work being carried out in the community by the club’s charity partner, Aberdeen FC Community Trust.
“With the trust now able to re-engage with school children, we’re thrilled to present this prize to Charleston Primary School and look forward to delivering for our other competition winners soon.”
The competition to win the Adidas balls was the latest in a series of competitions to get the area’s schools engaged with the AberDNA Junior programme. King Edward Primary School, in Banff, have landed a training session at Cormack Park, while two kids will win first-team squad numbers for next season.
Wicks added: “Our aim to be at the heart of our community, with a growing fan base, begins with our young people.
“Every Dons supporter remembers their first match and we want to give every child in the region the opportunity to have this experience and to be able to access top-flight football.”
What is AberDNA Junior?
Launched in March last year, and supported by the Evening Express and Press and Journal, AberDNA Junior, which aims to build the next generation of Aberdeen supporters, has more than 7,000 members from all corners of the globe.
When restrictions are sufficiently eased, every AberDNA Junior member will have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of their football heroes and “sign for the Dons” for a day where they will be invited to Pittodrie to officially “sign their contract” and be unveiled as AFC’s latest signing.
The club is hopeful of finally being able host these events in the October holidays and give youngsters a behind the scenes experience they will remember for forever.
All under-12 members will also be able to access two free match tickets during the 2021/22 season, so they can enjoy a matchday experience at Pittodrie as soon as full crowds are allowed back into the stadium.
In addition, AberDNA Junior members have access to experiences, events and prize draws, along with discounts on AFC merchandise and match tickets.
The Dons, and the Evening Express and Press and Journal, are working together to promote the scheme, with a view to reaching more than 40,000 primary pupils in Aberdeen City and Shire and signing up 15,000 by August 2021.
To get involved sign up at afc.co.uk/aberdna/junior or phone 01224 63 1903.