January
- CBBC filmed Cost of Living
In January, CBBC came along to a number of our living support sessions to speak with the families who attend. They chose to focus the main part of their programme around a family we were supporting. - Launched Aspire Sports Hub
In January, we announced that an exclusive community usage agreement had been signed with Fylde Coast Academy Trust and Aspire Academy, for evening and weekend use of the school’s sports facilities. Since then, we have reinstated the delivery of programmes which were previously delivered from there along with introducing some new activities for locals and those further afield. - Emerging Talent Centre Full Launch
We were very excited to launch our FA Girls’ Emerging Talent Centre, part of the new England Lioness Pathway for the most talented female footballers aged 9-16. We initially had around 300 girls register to be part of the programme, but we whittled this down to just 66 girls who will be registered in the first season to represent the Under 10s, Under 12s, Under 14s and Under 16s.
February
- PL U11s Tournament
In February, we held the BIGGEST PLPS U11s girls tournament EVER! We invited 20 teams from 19 primary’s schools across the Fylde Coast to Stanley Park to attend our Year 5 and 6 competition. A massive well done to the winners St Nicholas! - Youth Pride
We attended Blackpool Pride at Winter Gardens. We held a stall aiming to establish the barriers the LGBTQ+ community faces when it comes to exercise and football. - PL Kicks U16 tournament at Burnley
On Friday 17th February a group of our PL Kicks participants went to Burnley FC to take part in an U16 tournament. The team progressed through the group stage after winning six and drawing one game in the morning. They then moved on to the semi-finals where we met Blackburn Rovers and after a slow start, our team won 3-0. The final was a different story and the team performed from the first whistle and romped to a 6-0 win against Preston North End.
March
- International Women’s Day
Seb and Rachel took part in an #IWD2023 event at Blackpool Sixth Form where girls were tasked to design a woman made up from aspects of influential women either in their personal lives, celebrities, leaders or athletes. - Unite for Access
In support of Unite for Access, Blackpool FC, working alongside us, welcomed pupils from two SEND schools we work with thanks to last seasons ticket sponsor LogoLogo Branded Clothing. - World Book Day
Before the fixture between Blackpool FC and Burnley, we hosted our World Book Day Event in the Education and Community Centre at Bloomfield Road. The event was a great success, with several children coming to collect some free books. We were also greeted with visits from Blackpool FC first-team players Jake Beasley and Kevin Stewart and our very own Bloomfield Bear which put that extra smile on the children’s faces. - Launched Female Leadership Academy
Providing young females with the opportunities to develop as leaders and give them the tools to succeed in life and sports. This programme is open to any female aged 14-18 wanting to become a young leader or possibly looking towards a career in football or sport.
April
- Liontrust partnership with ETC
Partnered with LionTrust, the specialist fund management company, as a principal partner and the front-of-shirt sponsor for our FA Girls’ Emerging Talent Centre for the 2023/24 season. - PL supports – One of Our Own
The ‘Premier League Supports’ campaign encouraged clubs to celebrate the positive impact they have on their local communities. After supporting Blackpool FC Community Trust for the last eight years, we decided to name Dave Marsland ‘One of Our Own’.Dave Marsland said,
“Blackpool FC is my football club, I’ve supported them for 60 years. What I like most is helping people. To be able to work in a team and make a difference to the lives of my community is great, I love doing that and it’s down to Ash and the team at Blackpool FC Community Trust who provide me with a platform to do what I love.”
May
- Fit2Go Festival
Blackpool FC Community Trust invited all Blackpool primary schools to bring their Year 4 classes to Bloomfield Road Stadium to take part in the 2023 Fit2Go Festival over three days in May. The festival is an opportunity for the children to celebrate the completion of the 6-week healthy lifestyle programme Fit2Go, and to take part in a variety of activities around the stadium. The festival was a huge success with 21 schools and nearly 1200 children attending.
A student from Layton Primary School said “I have really enjoyed the Fit2Go Festival today. My favourite part was the dancing. Since Fit2Go, I have been doing a lot more physical activity compared to what I used to be doing as well as eating healthier which has given me a really good healthy lifestyle.” - Highfield pupils visited NAAFI
Cadets from Highfield Leadership Academy visited veterans at our NAAFI Break in the Corner Flag restaurant at Blackpool FC. They helped by handing out bacon and sausage sandwiches, offering them refills of tea and coffee and roaming around offering help where needed. These types of interactions and experiences have positive impacts on both the cadets and veterans as they help bridge the gap between different generations and provide an opportunity for young people to learn and grow. Additionally, these interactions help instil a sense of respect and appreciation for those who have served our country, as well as inspire young people to consider military service as a viable career option. - Boot Bank Launch
Blackpool FC Community Trust are committed to removing barriers associated with playing football.
The football Boot Bank, which was originally introduced by Blackpool FC Supporter Kev Quirke, will now be overseen by the Community Trust. The free community football Boot Bank will allow previously used boots to be re-homed and re-used.
Drop-off points:- Community Trust Office, Seasiders Way, FY1 6JJ (Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm)
- Blackpool FC Club Shop during their regular opening times.
- ERS Silver Award (AF)
We are one of 56 organisations from across the North West of England that have been awarded Silver under the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme for their support to Defence and the wider Armed Forces community. - Community Champion for PFA
We nominated Shayne Lavery as The PFA Community Champion for his commitment to community appearances and participation throughout the 22/23 season.
The forward has given up his time and engaged with the community at our Warm Up Hubs, Sports Camps and Tangerine TeamMates to name a few. Shayne has an outstanding attitude and selfless approach to his Tangerine TeamMates engagements. He always stays longer than his scheduled time, making sure every child has their opportunity to meet him and have a positive experience. Lavery is always willing to turn up and inspire the local community, no matter the occasion. - Outstanding LFE
Blackpool FC Sports College are contracted by LFE for BTEC Sport and are required to meet their high expectations in teaching, learning and development. As part of the LFE overall inspection, an inspector attended Blackpool FC Sports college at Bloomfield Road Stadium, observing lesson delivery, and meeting with staff to discuss the curriculum intent, and the management team about the overall vision and impact of the college. - Launched Future Lioness Development Centre
Since the successful launch of the Blackpool FC Community Trust FA Girls’ Emerging Talent Centre (ETC) in January, our Female Football Development department have worked hard to expand our football programme for local females. We strive to engage with young females in Blackpool and the Fylde, using the brand of Blackpool FC to engage with more girls, and launched the Future Lioness Development Centres in March. These sessions provide high-quality structured coaching sessions for girls aged Under 8-14, aiming to develop young players to move towards the standard required to become a part of the ETC.
June
- Summer Pride
In June, some of our wonderful staff attended Pride Blackpool and were joined by several Blackpool FC fans. We took part in the parade and even set up a stall, allowing people to learn more about the programmes we offer. It was also great to bump into some familiar faces such as Bloomfield Bear and attendees of our Family Hubs. - AF Week
We welcomed the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service to our NAAFI Break. They spoke to veterans about how to make their homes safer. From smoke alarms to notes in a bottle, they offered free home visits for everyone interested.
We also invited participants and the cadets to come on a tour of Bloomfield Road stadium. They had the opportunity to see old shirts, different rooms across the stadium and understand the true history of Blackpool FC. - AF Tournament
With support from the Armed Forces Covenant Trust and The Veterans’ Foundation our BFCCT Armed Forces Football Team took part in the 2nd annual Penwortham Charity Football Tournament. This year funds were raised for Andy’s Man Club; a charity set up to spread awareness of mental health and suicide prevention with many teams taking part from all over Lancashire. The competition was won by a very strong Penwortham Saint Gerrard’s Vets team. Well done to them! - LGBTQ+ football launched
Thanks to funding as part of the Active Through Football project, which we refer to as Move More, we were able to develop this area of work and create a sustainable plan for new provision. We launched our first LGBTQ+ football session which will launch on in June, the session is designed to be for members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies, where everyone is welcome regardless of their ability.
July
- Esports Tournament
On the 8th and 9th of July, we held an ESPORTS tournament at Bloomfield Road Stadium. - Enterprise Challenge
Our 2023 Enterprise Challenge was held at Bloomfield Road Stadium on the 12th of July.
Pupils representing their schools come to present their business idea to a panel of judges including some local business leaders. Pupils presented their business ideas focusing on creating a new attraction for 11-18-year-olds in the town. - College Awards Evening
We held the Blackpool FC Sports College end-of-year celebration in July! We looked back at the year, highlighted some of the best moments and awarded our students with several different awards. - Blackpool FC School Tournament
Our Blackpool FC School students took part in the final round of fixtures in the Lancashire School Games Football League. The students were unbeaten coming into these fixtures and carried on their good form to remain unbeaten on the day. They were crowned the winners of the league and lifted the trophy at the end ceremony. - Jimmy Armfield Tournament
We held our annual Jimmy Armfield Memorial Trophy Tournament at Stanley Park which was attended by approximately 120 pupils across 14 primary schools. It was an amazing morning of football, competing in over 35 small-sided matches with an ecstatic St Nicholas team winning 3-2 on penalties in the final to retain the title from last year. - Hubs + Council Colouring Competition
Blackpool’s Children’s and Families Partnership Plan ran a colouring competition across Primary Schools in Blackpool and we encouraged the children who attend our Family Hubs to take part. Just short of 1000 children entered and not one but TWO of the children who attend our Family Hubs came in the top 10. They had their artwork displayed at the Winter Gardens in October and will feature on the Council’s website for the next five to ten years. A massive well done to Ethan and Horatio.
August
- Get Vocal podcast launch
Due to the success of our weekly men’s talking group ‘Get Vocal’ we were delighted to announce the brand new Get Vocal Podcast! The first episode was released on the 11th of August and featured special guest Nathan Parker talking about mental health, opening up and his journey with words. - Results Day + Enrollment Day
Blackpool FC School and Blackpool FC Sports College shouted about their student’s success on Results Day 2023.Gemma Trickett, Head of School said:
“We are so proud of all our students. We have smashed the national average percentage of pupils in alternative provision who pass English. Every single student graded in both Maths and English, and some students achieved a Level 1 in Sport and Fitness too! A special shout out to Charlie Polakovs, who achieved a Grade 4 in his English GCSE and has already started his apprenticeship and is working as a trainee joiner.”Caroline Bailey, Blackpool FC Sports College Manager said:
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the outstanding success of our learners on GCSE Results Day at Blackpool FC Sports College! A huge round of applause for these incredible achievements. Your dedication and hard work have truly paid off. We couldn’t be prouder of your accomplishments. Here’s to a bright and promising future ahead.” - Aspire Fives launched
Brand new 5 aside leagues have arrived in Blackpool, hosted at Aspire Sports Hub. They ran for 14 weeks and were a gateway to unforgettable football moments and thrilling competition.
September
- Induction Week for Blackpool FC Sports College and Blackpool FC School
What better way to kickstart the academic year than with a day of intense teambuilding exercises with the Army? Students faced problem-solving, obstacle courses, tactical challenges and group exercises that promoted leadership, discipline, and teamwork to meet the required aims.
It was also an action-packed start to the year for our degree students. We welcomed our new cohort with a bang as they spent a week in South Wales, experiencing university life on their induction residential.
Whilst there they met their University of South Wales (USW) course lead and lecturers and experienced the fantastic facilities that USW offers. - Colour Run – FIT Blackpool
On Saturday 9th September, 19 of our FIT Blackpool Graduates took part in the 3km Colour Run in aid of Trinity Hospice.Kim Veasey the FIT Blackpool programme lead said,
“It was amazing to see everyone come together from a few programmes and have such a wonderful time for a great cause. It was a great event for everyone to meet new people, get some steps in and enjoy themselves. Collectively the group also managed to raise a huge £600 in sponsorship with the figure still rising. This was the first social event we have run as a team and following its success I am looking forward to planning more events for the future. We have several other physical activity sessions that participants attend weekly such as Circuit Training and Box FIT so it will be great to keep developing within the FIT Blackpool community.” - New BFCCT Kit Sponsors – Muse and Vinci
Blackpool Football Club and Blackpool Football Club Community Trust were delighted to announce that nationwide placemaker, Muse, and contractor VINCI Building have signed an agreement to be Principal Community Partners for the 23/24 and 24/25 seasons.
As part of this exciting new partnership, both Muse and VINCI Building’s branding now appears on all Community Trust staff uniforms and Blackpool FC Sports College football kits and will for the next two seasons.
October
- Black History Month
In partnership with Blackpool FC, in celebration of Black History Month, we asked primary school pupils to produce a newspaper front cover on an Inspirational Black Person and received nearly 800 entries. First-team players CJ Hamilton, Marvin Ekpiteta, Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Kylian Kouassi joined us in presenting the winners, Louie and Alana, with their prizes at their schools. - Show Racism The Red Card
We hosted our annual Anti-Discrimination event in partnership with Show Racism the Red Card, Blackpool FC and the Premier League Primary Stars programme.
On Tuesday 10th October the full-day event was held at Bloomfield Road, welcoming 110 pupils consisting of Prefects, Head Boys and Girls, Antibullying Ambassadors, Sports Teams and members of the School Council, from 14 local schools. The group took part in the three educational workshops in the morning, covering Racism, Hate Crime and Anti-Discrimination in sports, with the aspiration that the pupils would share the messages and learning from the day with their peers in the school assembly. - One year of Get Vocal
The group was first launched last October, on World Mental Health Day and has played a huge part in supporting men’s mental health. So far, 35 men have accessed the group with a total of 298 attendances overall. The group is attended by men of all ages and backgrounds, who all have their own individual life experiences. However, the one thing the group shares in common is that they are all there to support their own mental health and provide peer support to each other. Each week, men have the time and space to reflect on their week and talk about any challenges they have faced, as well as sharing the positives, for example proactive things they have done to better support their wellbeing. Conversations have ranged from discussing relationship breakdowns, financial worries, depression and anxiety, work stress and more. - EFL Kids Cup
The event took place at Stanley Park on the 4G facilities and was attended by approx. 180 pupils in 20 teams from primary schools across the Fylde Coast.
This year the competition consisted of four groups, with the top two teams from each group progressing through to the Quarterfinals. The group stages were tough affairs with 42 clean sheets across the day, scoring a massive 102 goals.
The final was a close game, with some fantastic football on show and saw Sacred Heart edge out in front, winning the final 1-0. They will now go on to represent their school and Blackpool FC at the regional finals next year in March. - Launched festive fundraiser
Initially launched in 2020, the Club and Trust established the Festive Fundraiser after learning of the startling statistic that over 1000 primary school children across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre would go without a present on Christmas Day.
The Club and Community Trust began fundraising again in November for this coming Christmas and beyond. As per the initial fundraiser, Simon Sadler’s Segantii Capital Management has also committed to match the final amount raised pound-for-pound.
So far we have raised over £11,500. - Impact Review launched
Our 2022/23 Impact Review showcases the challenging yet successful journey we had last season. Despite the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and operating in one of the most underprivileged towns in the country, we remained committed to providing support that actually improves the lives of local residents. We take immense pride in our achievements to date and look forward to what’s next.
November
- Remembrance Day Activities:
- Blackpool FC’s COO Jonty Castle visited our Remembrance NAAFI with over 50 veterans and local charities/organisations in attendance.
- Our Forces Fixtures team took a trip to Fleetwood Town FC Community Trust for the Remembrance Cup fixture where we won 4-3.
- £1 tickets were provided for veterans for the match vs Morecambe.
- We supported a bucket collection with Army Cadets for the Royal British Legion helping to raise over £230.
- Over 60 tickets were given to cadets, cadet staff and family members.
- A wreath was laid at the game with the Armed Forces Champion and councillor alongside forces representatives from our provision.
- As part of the Remembrance Match, we included quotes and messages from members of our Armed Forces community in the Match Day Programme. We then mailed the Programme to families of veterans who have passed away.
- EFL Week of Action
Some of the first team squad went down to the Family Hub at Bloomfield Road during EFL Week of Action with ITV Granada also there to film the impact this is having on the community. Two Blackpool FC Players, Kyle Joseph and Dom Thompson also visited our Forces Football session battling the wind and rain.
December
- Present Campaign
On Wednesday 13th December we wrapped the presents which were bought thanks to donations to our festive fundraiser from our community. It was great to have members of Blackpool FC Club staff and students from our Blackpool FC School and Blackpool FC Sports College come along to help too! - Christmas Meals
On Thursday 21st December BFCCT held a Christmas Meal for members of our community who may for lonely, isolated, or vulnerable during the festive period. - Christmas Day Deliveries
Every year on Christmas Day, members of our team donate their morning to visit members of our community who may be isolated or alone, bringing them a gift and warm company on this special day.
