BILL WIGGIN MP JOINS IN CRADLEY SPORTS CLUB TRAINING SESSION!

Young footballers at Cradley Sports Club received a boost at their Sunday training session today (Sunday 26 November 2006) in the shape of a £5,000 cash boost from the Football Foundation, the UK’s largest sports charity. A cheque for £4,993 was presented on behalf of the Foundation by local MP Bill Wiggin. The funding will enable Cradley Sports Club to establish Under 9s and Under 10s boys’ teams, as well as an under 11's girls’ team.

All Cradley Sports Club teams will have weekly training sessions and enter local mini-soccer leagues – the boys in the Mercian Junior and the girls in the Mercian Girls Football League. Training sessions will also be held for boys and girls aged 6-8.

2006/07 girls squad	2006/07 U9 boys squad

Volunteers have been identified from the local community to undertake FA Level 1 and 2 courses, First Aid for Sport and Child Protection courses in order to support the activity.

The club have a link with Cradley Church of England Primary School from where players will be recruited and where training and matches will take place.

In addition, the club will hold fun training sessions for disabled children, particularly for pupils from Coddington School which is a local school for children with autism. Volunteers will undertake FA Coaching Disabled Footballers courses in order to support this.

The club has worked with Herefordshire FA to develop the project plan and has a development committee who will be responsible for delivery.

The project’s main objectives are:
25 boys and ten girls recruited to the Club and regularly attend training sessions and play matches
20 disabled children regularly attending training sessions
Six volunteers to undertake Level 1 courses
One volunteer to undertake a Level 2 course
Two volunteers to undertake CDF courses
One volunteer to undertake a First Aid for Sport course (two in year one)
Six volunteers to undertake the FA Child Protection and Best Practice Workshop

The Club was formed in 2005 and is currently providing coaching for 10 boys under 9 and 12 girls under 11.

Bill Wiggin MP said:
“Cradley is a great place, and the local people deserve this financial boost from the Football Foundation after all the effort they put in to making Cradley sports club so popular, well equipped and well used. The money will make a tremendous difference at a time when people are being encouraged to take more exercise.

“Competitive sports are a vital part of growing up for both boys and girls and I would like to congratulate Cradley Sports Club on everything that they are doing here to turn their teams into winners. They are doing so well; I am proud to represent them and proud of their achievements.”

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation said:
“I am delighted to see Football Foundation funds enabling Cradley Sports Club to widen access to the game for the community’s young people. I would like to acknowledge the Herefordshire FA’s involvement in this application and encourage other schools and clubs to apply to the Foundation for funding.”

Frank Hare Chairman of Cradley Sports Club said:
“This is great news for the club. We have a terrific team spirit throughout the club including our weekly parent supporters at all of our matches.

“But without this financial help from the Football Foundation much of what we are achieving would not be possible. We are very grateful.”

After the presentation ceremony there was a very entertaining boys v girls match, which was very evenly contested although the boys did run out eventual 4-0 winners, which did not reflect the work rate and commitment of the girls team....

On the scoresheet for the boys were Ben Finch, Josh Davies and Thomas Fairclough (2)

The beautiful setting of our home pitch before the boys v girls game

Action shots..