Prince Charles hosts football stars

Britain's Prince Charles hosted Premier League soccer stars at Clarence House yesterday (21.02.12) to mark 15 years of his Prince's Trust Football Initiative.

Britain's Prince Charles hosted Premier League football stars yesterday (21.02.12) to mark 15 years of his Prince's Trust Football Initiative.

The future king was joined by the likes of Danny Shittu, Jermain Defoe and Noel Hunt at Clarence House to celebrate the scheme that aims to get disadvantaged young people into work.

Charles said: "I always felt somehow that if you can work together with the football world, there is so much you can do to bring in young people who might not otherwise get involved.

"Half the problem is getting the message across that something like the Prince's Trust actually exists and that there are all sorts of worthwhile ways of people being able to escape from difficult and challenging circumstances."

He said the scheme helped to raise the self-confidence and self-esteem of young people, giving them a better chance of finding work.

He added: "I am hugely grateful to all those ambassadors for the trust from the football world who have given up their precious time to help inspire and encourage others."

While his scheme has proved a success, Charles admitted the same couldn't be said of his time as the captain of his own school team.

Shittu said: "As we say in the football world, he's got banter.

"He said he used to captain his school side and played at centre half, but said they never won a game while he was captain.

"To hear something like that from him is great - it was a pleasure to meet him."

The initiative sees people aged between 16 and 25 meet footballers face-to-face as part of 12-week job programmes.

More than three-quarters of those who have taken part in the project have gone onto work, education or training.