Premier League kicks off Creating Chances initiative

LONDON - The Premier League has unveiled its Creating Chances charity initiative, which will involve all 20 English Premier League football clubs and senior player representatives supporting charity schemes throughout September.

The campaign will aim to increase the English Premier League's estimated £122m annual contribution to more than 400 charities in the UK. It will offer endorsements to organisations and will support community programmes targeting young people at risk from social exclusion.

All 20 top English football clubs are involved with the scheme, including Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham, which are endorsing charities across sectors ranging from healthcare to poverty. The charities include Kidsafe, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Shelter and Samaritans.

Creating Chances will also feature around 200 Premier League players representing charities adopted by their club through a Places for Players scheme, involving Manchester United midfielder Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Arsenal FC defender William Gallas, Newcastle United winger Damien Duff and Liverpool FC striker Dirk Kuyt.

The Premier League said charities could expect to benefit through a player's involvement with a scheme and by receiving a £2,000 donation from the league's organisers.

Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League, said: "Creating Chances is a means of showcasing all of the work that takes place right across the league on a daily basis and will help to further strengthen the relationship we have with countless charities, good causes and our fans."

Liverpool's Kuyt, founder of the Dirk Kuyt Foundation, said: "It's good to try to help. I don't see what I'm doing as special, it is just about giving something back."