Young people representing Blackpool FC Community Trust joined hundreds from across England and Wales in this year’s Premier League Inspires Challenge celebration, a national event that uses football to empower 11–to-18-year-olds through life skills, mentoring, and social action.
The Challenge is one element of the Premier League Inspires programme, which supports 11–to-18-year-olds who may be at risk of not reaching their potential as they move through the education system and into early adulthood. The Premier League, through its Foundation, currently funds 54 football club charities to run Premier League Inspires sessions in secondary schools on a weekly basis.
This season, young people have been tasked with a social action project to come up with ways in which they would support young people’s mental wellbeing in their communities. Earlier this season, Blackpool FC Community Trust representatives came together to share their project ideas. Students presented a variety of well-thought-out concepts and ideas to promote positive mental wellbeing in their school, football club, and larger community. Learners took turns presenting their ideas and answering questions from our staff and scholars, who challenged and encouraged them along the way. The winning team created a wellbeing application for iOS and Android phones, which allows users to answer a questionnaire to understand their mental wellbeing, which in turn provides tips and prompts throughout the day for brain and movement breaks, social time and other things linked directly to improving mental health.
Quote from a participant from Armfield Academy,
“The Blackpool Inspires challenge was an overall unreal experience with not only our trip to the Hill Dickinson stadium to present our perspective on the given project, but the multitude of engaging activities that ultimately led to our final presented project, whilst expanding our knowledge to add important information. In its full, it was a truly great experience, and I would do it again. From the group activities about mental health to conversing with others about a similar ideology.”
The focus on mental wellbeing aligns closely with the Premier League’s Inside Matters initiative, which highlights the League’s and clubs’ ongoing commitment to raising awareness of the topic and encouraging fans to check in on the wellbeing of others.
The Blackpool FC Community Trust Premier League Inspires Challenge team also explored the positive work Blackpool FC is already doing to support mental well-being, including social groups for all ages to get together and take part in activities they enjoy, reducing loneliness and strengthening community connections.
Having won their local heat, Blackpool FC Community Trust participants joined hundreds of young people at the Premier League Inspires Challenge celebration event at Everton’s Hill Dickinson stadium at the end of April.
Premier League Foundation Chief Executive, Alex White, said,
“The Premier League Inspires Challenge gives young people a powerful platform to discuss and take steps to improve young people’s mental well-being within their communities. This year’s theme encourages participants to champion positive mental well-being, break down stigma and create supportive environments where everyone feels able to thrive.
“By taking part in Premier League Inspires, young people can strengthen their confidence and build valuable skills – from communication and planning to teamwork and resilience – as they design meaningful social action projects that promote healthier, happier communities.”
Alongside the participant-focused activities, mental health specialists and representatives from across the sport and charity sectors came together for a round table event. The discussion focused on the role of football club charities in supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing and was delivered by the Premier League and Premier League Foundation in partnership with Comic Relief.
The three-year partnership with Comic Relief is using the power of football to put children and young people aged five-to-18 at the heart of a nationwide push for better mental health by giving them access to practical wellbeing tools, education resources and essential life skills, while tackling stigma head-on.
Blackpool FC Community Trust began its Premier League Inspires delivery in October 2025 and since then has supported 98 young people through 20 sessions in 5 local schools.
Nationally, more than 40,000 young people from across England and Wales have received more than 135,000 hours of targeted support through Premier League Inspires to date.
To find out more about Premier League Inspires, please visit: www.premierleague.com
