CommunityLFC Foundation hosts Istanbul Legacy Week to inspire local children

The programme – created in conjunction with the club's official mascot Mighty Red programme – kicked off on Monday at Anfield and will be followed by a series of school assemblies across the region throughout the rest of the week.

The Anfield event welcomed 224 pupils from 16 local schools and provided a memorable experience blending football history, life skills and resilience-building workshops, with a guest appearance from Mighty Red.

Highlights of the event included a mini-museum displaying the Reds' journey through the 2004-05 season alongside a special highlights reel of the dramatic final against AC Milan in Istanbul. Memorabilia from the historic season, provided by LFC museum curator and historian Mark Platt, were also on display for the children to enjoy.

Chris Kirkland and Neil Mellor, both part of Rafael Benitez's Liverpool squad that season, joined the sessions to share their insights and memories with the children.

The youngsters then took part in a resilience workshop themed around Istanbul, where they explored emotions and took part in teamwork exercises alongside Mighty Red.

Following the event at Anfield, LFC Foundation will take the Istanbul resilience message on the road, accompanied by Mighty Red, to deliver assemblies across six schools in the region. Each assembly will feature the same core workshop activities, plus a visit from the European Cup trophy.

In total, this powerful programme will be delivered to more than 1,000 children, equipping them with positive coping strategies inspired by one of the most iconic comebacks in football history.

This initiative reinforces LFC Foundation's ongoing commitment to using the power of sport to inspire and support young people across our communities.

LFC Foundation supported more than 127,000 people last season alone, with 18,000 sessions and events across 300 community venues, including 199 schools. The club's official charity aims to tackle social inequalities in its communities and deliver sustainable and long-term change for those who need it most.

To learn more about the work of LFC Foundation, visit www.liverpoolfc.com/foundation/about-us.