While the Browns traveled to London to face the Vikings in Week 5, the Browns Give Back team took their efforts to reach local communities internationally.
Over the course of four days, Browns Give Back held a variety of events across London. From school visits with the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network to encourage school attendance, to a youth football clinic to advance the game and events to support military families, the Browns reached different communities.
"We were thrilled to bring Browns Give Back to London," Cleveland Browns Vice President of Community Impact and Foundation Renee Harvey said. "Hosting these events aimed at highlighting the importance of consistent student attendance and advancing youth football allows us to help leave a lasting impact in London beyond our visit. We're thankful to the teachers, staff, students and local youth athletes who participated in Browns Give Back activities throughout the week and we hope to have left them with meaningful experiences."
Brownie and Chomps visit Colville Primary School
Browns Give Back kicked off the week on Oct. 1 with special guests Brownie and Chomps visiting Colville Primary School, located near central London. They visited every classroom at Colville and passed out Stay in the Game! Attendance Network themed giveaways like lanyards, fidget toys, Browns-themed Rubik's cubes, stickers and more to spotlight the importance of daily school attendance. Browns alumni Gary Barnidge also visited the classrooms to share the message of the importance of school attendance and signed autographs to students.
Stay in the Game! Attendance Network hosts school visit at Thrapston Primary School
The Browns and the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network visited Thrapston Primary School to celebrate their attendance as a school on Oct. 2. They hosted a "Browns Spirit Day" with a pep rally that featured a "Touchdown Dance" competition, where students stood in front of the assembly and demonstrated their versions of touchdown dances by Browns players.
"Today is special because I get to give back to the kids," Barnidge said. "It's all teaching them to stay in the game, about attendance and how important it is to stay in school and how school is such an important part in kids' lives. And just being able to give back and enjoy time with them and see the smile on their faces."
SITG! made a few surprises during the visit, the first to Ruby, who was named the Kickoff Kid for Week 5 against the Vikings. Ruby retrieved the kicking tee from the field when the Browns played the Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
They also surprised principal Pauline Turner and teacher Kevin Smith each with tickets to the Browns' matchup against the Vikings, and Smith with an invitation to attend practice on Oct. 3. Originally from Findlay, Ohio, Smith has been a Browns fan throughout his life.
"I'm a massive Cleveland Browns fan and it's just the most amazing opportunity for me and for the children and it's been brilliant," Smith said. "The more you go to school, the more opportunities you have in life and show your commitment. Children make friends at school. They learn some values at school. So, it's a massive deal and we want to do everything we can to try and get the children into school, doing well at school and giving themselves the best life opportunities that they can possibly have."
After the school assembly, 40 students who were identified for their attendance participated in football activities and stations.
Browns and Vikings host families from TAPS
In partnership with the NFL, the Browns and Vikings supported TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), hosting United States and British military families in London leading up to the game. Their days were filled with memories and reflection as they experienced London and bonded with each other.
Browns alumni Andrew Hawkins joined the families – including two who cheer for the Browns and represented a surviving parent from Uniontown, Ohio, whose son served in the Marines, and surviving sibling and her family who grew up outside Cleveland and brother served in the Navy – for an afternoon tea at Kensington Palace. At the tea, he met with all of the families, including five from the United Kingdom.
Those families were also part of the pregame presentation on Oct. 5 and held the flags representing each country.
Browns hold Youth Football Clinic
The Browns continued their outreach on Oct. 3, as they hosted a Youth Football Clinic at The Grove following the team's practice. Thirty-five local athletes from the Hertfordshire Cheetahs American Football Club in Hertford, England, attended the clinic.
Before they took the field to participate in football skills and drills stations, Barnidge and Hawkins shared stories about their career and prepared the athletes for the stations, leading them through warmup exercises. Then, the athletes broke into groups at the six stations with Barnidge and Hawkins leading two of the stations.
"It's so important just because growing up, we didn't get these opportunities," Barnidge said. "There wasn't a lot of chances for the kids interact with the players and stuff like that. So being able to have that opportunity in another country and help build the sport in another country, that's just a whole other level. I know they do it back home, because we were doing it when I was there too, so just being a give back to all the kids, it's awesome.
I don't think people really understand how much it truly impacts the kids. Like it impacts them so much, and they're very grateful for it and just seeing them have fun and smiling, that's what makes it all worth it."
At the end of the clinic, Hawkins helped surprise one athlete with a special opportunity. Hawkins called up Joseph Kjorstad to award him two tickets to the Browns matchup against the Vikings, as well as the chance to serve as a Kickoff Kid during the game.
Browns host special guest Zelli Schultz at walkthrough
As the Browns wrapped up their game day walkthrough on Oct. 4, they were joined by a special guest and her family to break down the huddle. Zelli Schultz was born with a rare condition called Oculofaciocardiodental Syndrome (OFCD). However, Zelli has grown into a smart, athletic and joyful five-year-old who can see from one eye, eat independently and keep pace - if not surpass her peers physically. She is a passionate Browns fan, proudly cheering "Go Browns!" since she could first talk.
Zelli, alongside her parents and sister, Zinni, met head coach Kevin Stefanski and her favorite player, TE David Njoku. The soon to be 6-year-old-Zelli's parents are originally from Toledo, Ohio, before moving to the Netherlands, which fostered her fandom for the Browns.
Browns Give Back holds volunteer event with British Bulldawgs
In conjunction with the Browns Backers' UK chapter, British Bulldawgs, 50 Browns Backers volunteered alongside Soldiers', Sailors', and Airmen's Families Association (SSAFA) to assemble welfare kits to support military families, along with holiday gift packages for children whose parent serves their country. On Oct. 4, they packed 250 kits full of board games, toys and Browns giveaways, which will be distributed to youth in military families around the holidays.
Browns vs. Vikings Game Day
The Browns Give Back engagements in London came full circle on Oct. 5, as Rudy, from the Thrapston School visit, and Joseph from the Hertfordshire Cheetahs American Football Club had the once in-a-lifetime opportunity to serve as Kick Off Kids during the game. They watched the players run out onto the field before the game and helped retrieve the kicking tees from the field.
The Cleveland Browns focus on advancing education, youth football and equitable opportunities across Northeast Ohio and beyond. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback
