This Christmas, Rochdale Football Club would like to say a big thank you to Redwood Secondary School for their continued hard work and dedication.
You may remember last season we announced, in conjunction with the Dale in the Community Sports Trust, a new Supported Internship Programme which saw students from the school carrying out several roles with different departments at the Club.
Despite Covid, the interns have continued working behind the scenes at the Club, when it has been safe and appropriate to do so, working alongside the likes of the ground staff, kitmen and maintenance team.
Not only that, they helped play a part in making sure the Crown Oil Arena was ready for the return of fans, by helping clean the stands and car park, whilst also taking general care of the ground.
We’d like to say a big thank you to the interns (pictured with our ground staff Richard Blackburn and Josh Haigh, Kitman Craig Rowson and our maintenance team Kevin Lowe, John Sparrow and Carl Todd) for their hard work and dedication!
Dale In The Community Trust have been working with Redwood for over 13 years, holding regular coaching sessions and workshops at the school and they have been integral in making this partnership happen.
Keith Hicks, Rochdale AFC Community Sports Trust Manager, said: “We believe this programme is the first of its type at a professional Football Club, something all parties are extremely proud of.
"The internship has been a brilliant programme for both Rochdale AFC and Redwood School, giving the students career pathways in employment through experience of working with us at the Community plus assisting with numerous other departments at the Club.
“I would like to thank David Butterworth, teacher at the school, for the initial conversation about the programme, plus Gail and Marie from Redwood, who work from the Club, for ensuring that things run smoothly whilst the students are here.”
On their final day before breaking up for the Christmas holidays, they enjoyed a game of football on the kick-pitch at the Crown Oil Arena.
