RANGERS SCOOPS COVETED EDUCATION HONOUR

Rangers Football Club picked up a coveted accolade at a top awards bash in Glasgow last night (Thursday 5th June 2008) for its educational work in the community.

The Club’s Study Support Centre, and various other educational initiatives organised via Rangers Football In the Community and The Rangers Charity Foundation, was recognised with a ‘Big Tick’ at the Scottish Business in the Community Awards ceremony.

The Awards for Excellence, which are supported by the Scottish Government, are the most rigorous awards recognising responsible business practice in the UK today and winners have to demonstrate a strategic and long-term approach to creating partnerships which have a measurable and enduring impact.

The ground breaking Rangers Study Support Centre was launched in November 2001 and has since inspired thousands of children from across the city, with over 140,000 separate visits being made to the Centre to date.  The quarter of a million pound facility was the first of its kind in Scotland and uses football as a vehicle to stimulate and motivate young people to learn. It aims to develop literacy, numeracy and IT skills, as well as develop confidence, self-esteem and motivation.

Staffed by qualified teachers, the Centre has developed a curricular designed to enhance and complement the young people’s school work while also presenting them with new and exciting ways of learning. Through debating sessions, interviews with players and tutorials in football business and marketing, students are encouraged to think for themselves and enjoy an exciting, proactive learning experience outside the usual classroom environment.

In addition to its educational focus, the Centre also runs a series of dance classes to promote health and fitness and offers workshops to tackle issues such as social equality, fair play and sectarianism.

 Rangers Chief Executive Martin Bain commented, “Rangers Football Club is delighted to receive this coveted recognition for our work in the community and our investment in the education of future generations via our Study Support Centre and other educational initiatives. 

“Football has the power to capture the imagination of young people and by harnessing their interest and increasing motivation the Club and Glasgow City Council Education Services have really helped them reach their potential.  The results the Centre has achieved have been staggering and along with our other projects via the Rangers Charity Foundation and Football in the Community, have made a lasting impact on young people in Scotland.”

Samantha Barber, CEO of Scottish Business In the Community said: “Corporate responsibility - the willingness of companies to go beyond what is expected of them to contribute to building a sustainable Scotland - is powerful and can have a definite and positive impact on our society.”

For further information please contact:

Carol Patton/Gillian McKelvie

Press Office

Rangers Football Club

Tel: 0141 580 8606/8538