Babcock and Rosyth FC Kick Off Football Festival Celebrating 110 Years of the Beautiful Game

A dream team of footballers from Babcock's Rosyth facility will line up against coaches from Rosyth Football

Club in a special five-a-side exhibition match to launch the inaugural Babcock Football Festival in Rosyth.

The match will celebrate 110 years of organised football in the town, dating back to the formation of Rosyth's

first junior football team and a few years later the creation of an affiliated senior team, Rosyth Dockyard

Recreation Football Club .

Sponsored by Babcock, the two-day festival is expected to welcome almost 1,000 young footballers from

across the country. The opening fixture will feature male and female Babcock employees playing against

representatives from Rosyth FC before the wider tournament gets underway.

Taking place on the 15th and 16th August , the festival aims to deliver a memorable celebration of youth

football, community spirit and local pride , with the ambition to establish the event annually as arguably the

biggest amateur football event in Fife.

The official kick-off match will see spectators treated to the one-off exhibition match to celebrate the

relationship between Rosyth FC and the important role that Babcock’s Rosyth facilit y plays as a local employer

bringing together two organisations with a long-standing history in the local community with a shared

commitment to developing future generations.

Club representatives say the festival will not only provide an outstanding football experience for hundreds of

children but will also generate a positive boost for the local area, bringing visitors from across the region.

Rosyth FC ’s Chairman, Craig Nicol, s aid: “Just over a year since we took over the running of the football club,

we are proud to be able to establish this event and help put Rosyth FC on the youth football map. It has been

ten months in the making with a lot of help from our volunteers, Fife Council, Rosyth Community Council and a

massive help from the team at Babcock, and we are determined to make this a fun, annual event .”

Natasha Allan, Director of Capability & Prosperity, Babcock said: " As one of Scotland's longest-established

community football clubs, Rosyth FC plays an important role in developing young talent, promoting

participation in sport and bringing local families together - something we are delighted to play a part in. ”

“As a long-standing employer in Rosyth, we are proud to support Rosyth Football Club during this notable

anniversary year. The Football Festival is a fantastic example of sport uniting people , encouraging healthy

lifestyles and creating opportunities for young people. ”

The anniversary match will start proceedings a t 8.50am on Saturday 15 August at Rosyth Park, launching the

Babcock Football Festival. The festival will run from 9.30am to 4.00pm on both Saturday 15 and Sunday 16

August .