I loved capturing this event last year and once again, was very excited to be invited back. Working alongside the Foundation, being pitch side, in the tunnel and behind the scenes is one of the best ways to spend your birthday! 🙂

On Saturday, 19th October, Cardiff City FC Community Foundation Day took centre stage at Cardiff City Stadium to help raise £125,000 in honour of the club’s 125th anniversary.

The mission is for the Community Foundation is simple: to change lives and transform communities. Through the foundation's education programmes, health initiatives, and outreach projects, they are helping people across the South Wales reach their full potential.

With the energy buzzing around the stadium, I had the chance to capture an incredible day made possible by matchday sponsors, Everlast Gyms. One of the highlights was watching the Community Foundation staff from further and higher education provisions battle it out in a Relay Row challenge. The goal was to row 1.25 km as many times as possible before kick-off.

Fans were treated to an amazing performance by pupils from Pencaerau Primary School, a partner school of the Community Foundation. These pupils are part of the Foundation’s Primary School services, and their performance was a heartfelt way to say "thank you" for their hard work over the last year.

Fans were treated to an amazing performance by pupils from Pencaerau Primary School, a partner school of the Community Foundation. These kids are part of the Foundation’s Primary School services, and their performance was a heartfelt way to say "thank you" for their hard work over the last year. It’s moments like these that remind me how much this program impacts lives.

Some of the youngest stars of the day had the chance to walk onto the pitch hand-in-hand with their favorite players. Gabriella, Amari, Lucas, and Alfee were selected for showing incredible leadership and inclusion during soccer schools and the Premier League Primary Stars program.

The action carried on at halftime with some of the Secondary Education and Kicks project beneficiaries stepping up for center-circle duties – and even a penalty shootout against Bartley, who literally lost his fury head : ) The pride on their faces said it all.

The players showed their support, warming up in Community Foundation tops and wearing the Foundation’s logo on their shirts during the match.