FC UNITED Powerchair Football Club

We are looking to be supported to get to the GBG Geneva Cup 2023 in August.

My brother Kieran Burns and I are coaches and co-founders of FC United Powerchair Football Club in Scotland. He is a full-time wheelchair user and has been playing powerchair football for around 12 years, attended the first ever session when it was introduced to Scotland in 2011 and we founded this club in 2022. We have a partnership with the United To Prevent Suicide movement, as we aim to support suicide and mental health awareness in the disability and football communities.

This year, our team has been invited to compete in the Geneva Cup 2023 in August. This will be the first time competing internationally for many of our players and is a hugely exciting opportunity. We are asking for your help in making this trip possible. The entirety of your donation will be used in direct support of players and their families to cover travel expenses, including transportation and accommodation, as well as the purchase of necessary equipment for the club. Please consider contributing financially to help us meet our players’ travel needs and continue running this club which provides such an important, supportive, and fun environment where our players are able and encouraged to thrive.

Our sport brings together powered-wheelchair users to play ‘The Beautiful Game’ of football. Powerchair football is the only active team sport our players are able to play due to the severity of their conditions, which do not allow them to use manual wheelchairs. This sport offers players the opportunity to play football, develop technical and social skills, and form connections and lasting friendships. The community formed within our club is hugely important for players, as general society often lacks accessibility and opportunities for disabled persons to socialise in an environment where they feel completely comfortable and free of judgement. Unfortunately, the financial commitment required for purchasing powerchairs, equipment, and traveling to and from tournaments creates a barrier for many players. As a community club, we rely on donations to book out the venues for training, purchase our equipment, support our players’ travel to compete in national and international tournaments.