January is a busy month for Blackpool FC Community Trust, with activity restarting across education, sport, health and community support. From school programmes and competitive fixtures to cost-of-living provision, health initiatives and targeted support for residents, our work resumes across the town, delivering practical opportunities and accessible support from day one.
Our BFC school students have a very busy month in January.
- St John’s Ambulance – CPR/first aid
- Blackpool & Fylde College – construction-based careers.
- NCFE – Assessment – Maths and English
- D of E volunteering
- International Day of Education
- Robert Burns Night
- Holocaust Memorial Day
Football Academy CEFA fixtures will continue for our A and B teams, scheduled to play Rochdale, Wigan Athletic, Everton and Blackburn Rovers.
Esports fixtures will continue every week for Valorant, Rocket League and EAFC.
Red Cross will visit the college and deliver workshops on coping with challenges.
Our Level 2 Sport students will support the Premier League Girls tournament at Stanley Park on Monday 19th January. This will coincide with their sports event module, which allows them to plan, run and evaluate events. Students will gain real-world experiences, having responsibilities on the day to make the event a success.
Community Engagement
All of our cost-of-living provisions start back up on January 5th.
Our cost-of-living support continues, with The Big Food Truck visiting Bloomfield Road every Tuesday from 2pm to 3pm. Before collecting food parcels, attendees can join our Community Club from 1:30pm to 3pm to enjoy a hot drink and access local services. Family Clubs continue in the North Stand Community Hub every Tuesday and Wednesday from 3:30pm to 5pm. Our Community Cohesion group also meets on Thursday mornings from 11am – 12pm, this month they will be taking part in different physical activities.
In partnership with Blackpool Coastal Housing and Empowerment, our Engage4Change drop-in sessions run at the North Stand Community Hub on Tuesday 2:15pm to 3pm. Here, residents can access support with CV writing, email setup, employability, education, and positive activity opportunities.
Health and Wellbeing
Our Premier League Kicks team continues to deliver free evening activities for 8–18-year-olds across Blackpool. Work intensifies for our Premier League Inspires at our local high schools in January with a visit from the Empowerment charity. They deliver a bespoke workshop on Healthy Relationships, which allows participants to discuss their own boundaries and expectations using a range of scenarios to draw engagement.
Our participants also begin their social action projects in preparation for the Premier League Inspires Challenge. This year sees a return to Mental Health and Wellbeing with a focus on body image. Pupils will raise awareness in school, the local community and the football club through ideas such as fundraising, message sharing and campaigning.
Safer Streets (StayOnSide) continues in our local secondaries and alternative provisions throughout January. This popular programme addresses anti-social behaviours both on and offline that impact the lives of our community. The core themes look to instil a sense of self-pride and respect for individuals whilst offering insight and community safety tips for other local issues (knife crime, exploitation and online safety).
Our Premier League Primary Stars Under 11s Girls’ Tournament will take place on January 11th.
Building on the success of our Cancer Prehab sessions, which have been delivered weekly over the past year, this project leverages the power of community football clubs and club charities to support individuals affected by cancer through exercise, social connection, and peer support. It is designed to provide support both before and during treatment (prehabilitation) and ongoing support after treatment (rehabilitation). At both stages, the project helps participants to build physical strength, psychological resilience, and social networks that guide them through one of life’s most challenging journeys.
Join us in the Education and Community Centre in the North Stand at Bloomfield Road Stadium for Cancer Prehab 2:30pm – 4:15pm and Rehab 4:15pm – 5pm.
Throughout the next 12 months, we will be raising awareness and encouraging members of our community to attend cancer screening invites they receive. We will also be sharing information about signs and symptoms, holding events and attending Match Days.
Our Get FIT Keep Fit programme continues to grow. We recently launched a new Facebook page, where you can find timetable updates, session tasters, and event information. Our Keep FIT classes run on a £20 monthly rolling membership or £3+ per session and include Circuits, BoxFIT, ClubFIT, Pilates, and Strength & Stretch. Class times and venues change weekly, so check the app or Facebook page regularly.
Get Fit Keep Fit will be putting together a timetable of Health and Wellbeing events, in addition to our weekly timetable, utilising community spaces across Blackpool. The first one will take place on Sunday 18th January in the Activity Space here at the stadium.
Our Active Minds programme continues, with multiple men’s and women’s football sessions running weekly across Stanley Park, Aspire Sports Hub, Aspire Sports Centre, and Palatine Leisure Centre.
We are also seeking residents in Bloomfield, Tyldesley, Victoria, and Park wards to get involved with our Move More initiative, helping develop a community group to address local needs.
Man v Fat is actively seeking new participants. The programme supports men with a BMI of 27.5 or higher to lose weight, improve fitness, and build friendships. Over 90% of players achieve their weight loss goals, and sessions are available from just £35 per month.
Support for veterans and serving personnel recommences on 5th January with our Armed Forces provision, including NAAFI Break on Wednesdays (10:30am–12pm), Walk & Talk on Thursdays (1:30pm–3:30pm), Forces Football on Fridays (6pm–8:30pm), and Gardening Club on Thursdays (10am–12pm).
We will also hold our monthly veterans breakfast club on Tuesday 6th November from 10am-11am at @TheGrange.
In January, we will be relaunching our Future Lioness Development Centres on Monday evenings for Under 7 to 10s, Under 11 to 12s and Under 13 to 14s.
Lytham St Anne’s High School will be representing Blackpool FC in the EFL Under 13s Utilita Girls Cup in the North West Regional Finals, competing against other clubs such as Fleetwood Town, Accrington Stanley, Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End and Bolton Wanderers.
WE NEED YOU:
We are looking for volunteers to help at our community sessions. Register your interest here – www.bfcct.co.uk/volunteer-with-us/
We are looking for casual members of staff to support on a number of our sessions. Register your interest here – www.bfcct.co.uk/job-opportunity-casual-coaches/
