Due to fantastic support from The Armed Forces Covenant Trust and Veterans’ Foundation, we have been able to grow our Armed Forces provision within the community in recent years. The provision has had such a great impact on veterans on the Fylde Coast, helping them to increase physical activity, tackle loneliness and increase mental health and wellbeing.
Blackpool has one of the highest rates of adults in receipt of a military pension and compensation outside of Greater Manchester and Merseyside. Blackpool also has one of the highest rates of working-age veterans.
Dave Maclean, the Community Engagement Manager, added,
“Programmes like this bring the world to veterans, lifting their spirits and reconnecting them with other people who understand their life experiences. Blackpool FC Community Trust has made significant advancements in developing its programme to support and empower veterans and their families across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast, and this project aims to enhance the mental health and wellbeing of ex-armed forces personnel within civilian life.”
Supported through funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and Veterans’ Foundation, Blackpool FC Community Trust are proud to host a range of armed forces programmes within the community. This includes serving personnel, families, veterans, and families of veterans.
Within our sessions, veterans have the chance to engage with other members of the armed forces community and rediscover the unique camaraderie of serving personnel. This includes coffee mornings, breakfast clubs, and the opportunity to represent Blackpool FC in Forces Football competitions against other clubs in the Northwest with our team.
We offer the Blackpool and Fylde Coast armed forces community a wide range of one-to-one support services, trips to armed forces-specific events and museums and group sessions to support our local armed forces veterans and service personnel.
These weekly group sessions include the following:
- Gardening Club – Help maintain the memorial space dedicated to Blackpool FC players who lost their lives during WW1.
Thursday 10am – 12pm at Fylde Memorial Arboretum and Community Garden
- Forces Football – Play 7-a-side football followed by a brew and a chat at our wellbeing hub. There are also opportunities to represent Blackpool FC at fixtures and competitions against other forces teams.
Thursday 6pm – 7:30pm at Aspire Sports Hub, Garstang Road West
- NAAFI Break – Meet up with like-minded veterans living across the Fylde Coast. Come along and enjoy a sausage or bacon sandwich and a cup of NATO tea or coffee.
Wednesday 10:30am – 12pm at The Corner Flag at Bloomfield Road Stadium (£2 donation) - Veterans Walk & Talk – Enjoy various gentle routes around the scenic grounds of Stanley Park and join us for a brew and a chat at our social group in Blackpool Cricket Club after the walk.
Tuesday & Thursday 1:30pm – 3:30pm at Blackpool Cricket Club
If you, a family member or anyone else you know has served in the Armed Forces and you would like to find out more about what we do, please contact us on 01253 348691 or email us at info@bfcct.co.uk. You can also visit our website to read more information.
