In tonight's Carabao Cup boardroom notes, executive director Zoe Ward talks about the work of our club charity, the Community Sports Foundation.
Good evening and welcome to a special family-focused evening under the lights at Carrow Road.
The Community Sports Foundation takeover day is always an important event in the club’s calendar and we are delighted to support their work during this evening’s Carabao Cup game against Birmingham City.
This is their day and we want to showcase and highlight all of the good work they are undertaking and remind everyone what a difference they are making to peoples’ lives in Norfolk.
We are incredibly proud of the Foundation’s work and we will continue to support their initiatives and projects at the Nest and beyond in any way we can.
This year alone the Foundation has already worked with 18,000 people and by the end of the year this figure should be somewhere close to 30,000.
We know that the cost of living continues to have a deep impact on our supporters and we have worked hard again this season to make these cup games as accessible and affordable as possible.
Our reduced ticket prices this evening give the next generation of young supporters the chance to watch the first team and for those of you attending your first game, of which there are many, we welcome you to Carrow Road.
When you look around the stadium this evening, every adult supporter inside Carrow Road will have made a £2 contribution (children £1) to the work of the Foundation from the price of their ticket.
We are transforming the lives of disabled children in Norfolk and your support this evening means more and more people will have access to a full season of disability sessions at the Nest.
The Foundation is such a strong part of the community and our aim is to continue to inspire people in Norfolk with a range of affordable services that have a positive impact on the region.
The Carabao Cup is also an opportunity for Dean Smith to look at some of the young prospects who have come through our Academy at the Lotus Training Centre.
Our commitment to developing youth players is as strong as ever and we want to create a platform for the next generation of Norwich stars to flourish in front of our supporters in competitive fixtures.
Players such as Max Aarons, who made his debut for the club in a League Cup tie against Stevenage four years ago, is an example for all our young players.
Max has gone on to establish himself as a key player and we want our aspirational and ambitious young players to know that they can follow his pathway.
These cup games are an opportunity early in the season to experience the first team environment and to learn from some of the senior professionals in the dressing room.
Although we expect some of younger players to play a part in the game this evening, the club are committed to making sure we have a successful cup campaign.
This evening has a family feel to it, with a focus on the community spirit that makes Norfolk such a special place for people to call their home.
Enjoy the game.
Zoe
This column also features in the club's official matchday magazine, OTBC. To buy your copy of the Wigan Athletic programme, or additional back copies, visit shop.canaries.co.uk.