Rochdale AFC’s Football in the Community Trust has been awarded funding to help increase participation in sporting activities across a number of areas in the Borough.
They’ve received almost £80,000 from Sports England, which has been boosted by a donation of £25,000 from the NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group.
The money will be ploughed into a project which intends to increase male and female participation in sporting activities for two age groups - 18-39s and 40-55s - in the wards of Milkstone and Deeplish, Smallbridge and Firgrove, and Spotland and Falinge.
Keith Hicks, the Head of Dale’s Football in the Community Trust, commented:
“The aim is to attract participants in these wards by offering football, basketball and volleyball sessions, as well as providing pathways to help reduce health inequalities by focusing on diet and nutrition, smoking and alcohol.
“Participants will be offered the opportunity to undertake coaching, sports leadership, sports volunteer or officiating awards. They will also be offered the chance to train as health trainers.
“It’s a three year programme which will hopefully go some way to helping people in Rochdale improve their health and lifestyles.”
A cheque for £78, 488 was presented to Trust Chairman Andrew Kelly by Sport’s England’s Justine Blomeley during half time at Dale’s pre-season friendly match against Bolton Wanderers.