For Club and Country

We were represented at a visit to the Woodland Trust in Langley Vale, Epsom recently.

Our Life Vice President Major (Retd) Billy Thomson BEM was accompanied by Graham Brookland and Gill Jones from the Army FA HQ.

In 2018 the Army FA was involved in The Games of Remembrance to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War Armistice involving football matches between the men and women’s team of the British Army and German Bundeswehr played at Nottingham Forest FC and Notts County Football Club respectively. A wonderful day attracted over 13,000 spectators to both matches and proceeds of £50,000 were raised to various charities including The Woodland Trust where we worked with an organisation called "For Club and Country".

On the visit to the Surrey venue adjacent to Epsom Racecourse we were taken around the grounds by Trust Ambassador Emma Hogg and her colleague Guy who were able to provide a guided tour and inform us how the funds have been utilised at the 641 acres site and direct us to where our Army Football plaque is placed on Grove 26 where an acre of trees is starting to grow. This is alongside a Football Remembers plaque which is a living tribute to footballers who served and fell in World War 1.

It was wonderful to show us how much work has been undertaken on the site over just short of a decade where thousands of trees have been planted.

A fascinating insight of which we are grateful to so many people and organisations who contributed to the project.