Addicks and Dons combine to stage a successful community event

AFC Wimbledon and Charlton Athletic teamed up on Saturday to host a successful match day activity
for people with learning disabilities.
Before the first-team match between Wimbledon and Charlton, AFC Wimbledon Foundation
welcomed the Charlton Upbeats and Generate Football Clubs onto the pitch at the Cherry Red
Records Stadium. Both clubs offer opportunities for people with learning difficulties to play football.
Generate are a charity for adults with learning difficulties who are representing AFC Wimbledon and
they recently won their round of the FA Peoples Cup.
Generate took on Charlton Upbeats, which is run by the Charlton Athletic Community Trust, in
friendly matches at the nearby Weir-Archer Stadium, before the players involved watch the first-
team game afterwards.
AFC Wimbledon Foundation Director Philip Rudling said: “We were delighted to host Generate FC,
our local pan disability team, and Charlton Upbeats on Saturday, with the two teams playing a series
of friendly matches together, before they were introduced to the crowd for a team photo prior to
kick-off. We were really pleased with the response from both groups, who enjoyed playing together
and watching the game. Charlton were very complimentary about their whole experience and
praised the welcome they received from the club and stewards in the away area. Moving forward,
we hope to repeat the matchday activity and bring more disability groups into the stadium as part of
our work in the local community.”