The Akrotiri football club APEA has received a donation of training equipment – including footballs, goalposts, flags, training bibs and goalkeeper gear – worth €1,500 from the SBA police.

The donation, the SBA said, aims “to support youth development and invest in the local community,” providing young players with the tools they need to grow in the sport.

Attacking midfielder and SBA employee Nikolas Georgiou emphasised the close connection between APEA and the Akrotiri bases. He noted that 2025 marks the 70th anniversary of both RAF Akrotiri and APEA, highlighting the strong ties between the two.

Supporters from the base, he added, regularly attend both home and away games.

He stressed the importance of the donated equipment for the younger players, saying it “will help them develop and become better players.”

APEA president Andy Georgiou equally extolled the support from the bases, adding that the bases, the team, and the village of Akrotiri shared a “special relationship”.

RAF chief constable Steve Jupp pointed to the unique setting of APEA’s football grounds, noting that service children often train alongside local kids. “That sums up what sport is all about: bringing communities together,” he said.