Liverpool FC Set on Aussie Charity Legacy

Visiting English Premier League soccer giant, Liverpool, has chosen a Melbourne-based Not for Profit, the Reagan Milstein Foundation as its Australian ‘charity partner’.

Liverpool’s official charity, the Liverpool FC Foundation, is also sending a group of community coaches on the tour to deliver a range of football-related programs designed to provide positive change for local children and adults.

LFC says it has committed to creating three 'charity partners' in Indonesia, Australia and Thailand to continue providing support long after the squad has returned to Liverpool.

Ian Ayre, the Reds' managing director, says the plan is to develop long-term partnerships the Reagan Milstein Foundation in Australia, the British Council and Premier League's Premier Skills' Gocekz Project in Indonesia and the Bangkok School for the Blind in Thailand.

"LFC is the world's greatest football family," Ian Ayre said.

"Our pre-season tour is an important part of our strategy to bring the club closer to fans no matter how far away from Anfield they live.

"As well as the first team's training and match schedules, we are committed to delivering a busy program of activity off the pitch to provide positive change to local people through community football coaching.

"It is important to us, however, that we don't just provide this support for a day or two – which is why we have created a legacy program where we can continue to promote our charity partners' campaigns through our global fan base via our extensive communications channels."

The Reagan Milstein Foundation has been set up to honour the life of 14- year-old Reagan Milstein who died in July 2010 after a tragic accident while scuba diving in Malaysia.

Reagan was returning home to Australia after living his dream – attending the Soccer World Cup in South Africa with his father Kevin. 

Kevin Milstein says his son had an incredibly gentle and loving nature and was always looking for ways to help people, particularly those who were disadvantaged or underprivileged.

He says it is with this in mind that The Reagan Milstein Foundation was born.

"Having Liverpool FC recognise and partner with the Reagan Milstein Foundation not only gives us a sense of achievement but, most importantly, enables us to be able to reach communities that we could not have before and allows us to bring even more positive changes to many football communities around the world."

As well as providing a community-based soccer clinic in each city for disadvantaged local people, Liverpool representatives and players will meet each charity partner during the tour to establish their objectives and how the club can support them going forward.

The club says it will be providing each charity with 500 tickets to a closed first-team training session in each city, while the longer term support will include sending signed LFC merchandise to help each charity raise money.

Liverpool FC will be in Melbourne from July 22nd.