Announcing the Plaion Launchpad Berkshire 5s

Football in Berkshire in association with Plaion is proud to announce its very first football tournament in support of Reading-based homeless charity, Launchpad.

The 5-a-side tournament (encouraging mixed teams of men and women) is aimed at businesses in and around Reading and will be hosted by Reading City Football Club on Sunday 27th July 2025. As well as being limited to just eight teams, each entry includes the opportunity to design their kit for the competition.

Launchpad has been helping Reading’s homeless since 1979 and in recent weeks Football in Berkshire’s editor Tom Canning experienced a night sleeping rough with several of the charities team.

He said: “I spent the night at Reading’s Abbey Ruins as part of the CEO Sleepout a week ago, it was an incredibly thought-provoking experience for those of us taking part. All the things we take for granted night after night at home just don’t exist for some people in our community. Fridays and Saturdays are my favourite times of the week – looking forward to the football – I think they’d quickly become the days I’d dread if I were trying to survive in the town centre.”

Craig McNicol, VP at Plaion Partners said: “I consider Reading my second home after moving to the area in the 80’s and felt compelled to support. We at PLAION are humbled by the work that Launchpad do, and it reminds us that gaming or other fun pursuits in the comfort of your own home should not be a privilege for some but a right for all”

As well as raising money for a brilliant charity, entrants will be able to design their own kits for the competition courtesy of a partnership with Basingstoke-based Serious Sport using their 3D Kit Builder (try it here).

To enter a team, head to the tournament page here.

The Football in Berkshire team have already been busy pulling together some monstrosities: