Saturday marked a very special day for Queens Park Rangers' Football in the Community department, as the Down's Syndrome (DS) Active QPR Tiger Cubs football team was launched.

The essence of the DS Active is to provide children and young people with Down's Syndrome the same benefits of being on a team as their able-bodied peers.

Through football, this project aims to create a multi-tier learning environment that will improve the participants' overall physical, social and emotional health.

The project has been running weekly on Monday night's for an hour and a half for children and young people with DS aged 5 to 25.

There have been between 20 and 30 participants at each session, which focus on developing the core fundamentals of football. While participants are learning physical skills, they are simultaneously increasing their own social and emotional abilities.

For many of the Tiger Cubs, this was one of the few times (other than school) where they were interacting with adults other than their parents, and interacting with other people with DS.

Approximately 85 per-cent of people with DS attend mainstream school. Having the ability to train and play at a similar level increases their ability to reap all of the potential benefits.

The Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) has been a key partner in making this project work. The DSA is the only organisation in the UK solely dedicated to living successfully with Down's Syndrome (DS) with an aim of helping people with DS live full and rewarding lives.

QPR's Football Co-ordinator For People With Disabilities, Anthony Doherty, told www.qpr.co.uk: "This project has already been a great success and long may it continue.

"I would like to say a big thank you to a key partner, The Down's Syndrome Association - without their help this project would not have got off the ground."

The Cubs youngsters took part in the half-time entertainment at Loftus Road on Saturday, and also posed for photos with Club Mascot, Spark!

Doherty added: "It was a magnificent day and the feedback we've had since says speaks volumes of the project.

"Both QPR and Burnley fans cheered the youngsters' every move on Saturday and on behalf of the Club, I'd like to say how grateful we are to everyone for their fantastic support on what was a truly special day."