A FOOTBALL charity which helps homeless and marginalised people is among good causes to benefit from Comic Relief cash.

Streets Revolution got £2,500 in September towards its weekly sessions at Oxford University sports pitches in Iffley Road.

The cash went on new equipment including footballs, bibs and cones, and a new website.

The Oxford Mail announced this week that grants of up to £1,000 are available for small charities and organisations in Oxfordshire.

For the first time, we are distributing a £50,000 Red Nose Day Community Cash fund.

Streets Revolution was set up in April last year and offers sessions for people such as the homeless and those with mental illnesses.

It runs two seven-a-side teams competing against similar sides from Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

Chairman and founder Jon Regler said: “Streets Revolution is about engaging people that might be otherwise hard to reach.

“We want to show that it doesn’t matter what labels someone has got, if they’re interested in sport, they are welcome here.

“That then gives us a platform to maybe talk about their other issues.

“We can let them know about services available to them, or just help them to move forwards with their lives.”

More than 70 people have taken part in the project.

Mr Regler added: “Lots of these guys are caught in a trap they can’t get out of.

“This gives them at least one day they can get up and think, ‘today I’m not going to be drinking or taking drugs because I’ve got somewhere to go’.”

He added: “Football is an international language.

“We believe this is something that could be rolled out in places like Blackbird Leys and Rose Hill, as it could help so many people.”

Adrian Botley, 22, who is homeless, is captain of The Revolutionaries team.

He said: “I’ve been part of Streets Revolution since the beginning.

“It’s helped turn me into a better person.”

He said the scheme had helped him stay off drugs, adding: “It really helped me with my confidence and gave me something to get up for, instead of hanging around being bored and depressed.”