Accrington Stanley Community Trust’s Football Development Centres Set to Return in 2025 – Now Available for Online Booking!

Accrington Stanley Community Trust is excited to announce that its highly anticipated Football Development Centres for both boys and girls will be returning in 2025! Designed to help young players of all abilities develop their football skills in a fun, supportive environment, the sessions are now available for online booking, making it easier than ever for parents and guardians to secure a place.

The Football Development Centres, which have been a key part of the Community Trust’s mission to promote sports participation and community engagement, will run throughout the year, on Mondays 6pm-7pm at Stanley Sports Hub. These sessions are tailored for children aged 4-12, with expert coaching led by qualified Accrington Stanley coaches.

Key Features of the Football Development Centres:

• Inclusive for All Skill Levels – Whether your child is just starting their football journey or looking to hone their skills, the sessions are designed to cater to all abilities.
• Experienced Coaches – All sessions will be delivered by qualified coaches with experience in developing young talent.
• Fun & Engaging Environment – The focus is on improving technique, teamwork, and confidence while ensuring a fun and positive experience for all players.
• Convenient Online Booking – Parents and guardians can now easily secure a spot for their child through the new online booking system, available by clicking here

“We’re thrilled to be relaunching our Football Development Centres in 2025, and we’re excited to offer a more accessible, streamlined booking experience for parents and carers,” said Lee Walsh, Head of Sport & Health at Accrington Stanley Community Trust. “Our centres have been a vital part of the local community, helping children develop both their football skills and confidence. We can’t wait to welcome young players back and provide them with the opportunity to train in a professional and supportive environment.”

For further information or inquiries, please contact: lee.walsh@stanleytrust.co.uk

WE WANT YOUR BOOTS! We’ve joined the mission to help rehome at least one million pairs of football boots across the UK and stop them ending up in landfill. If you’ve got football boots or astro turf boots at home that are no longer being used and taking up room – then help us to get them back out on the pitch and save them from ending up in landfill!

Boots can be dropped off in our dedicated Football Rebooted Boot Collection Box at Stanley Sports Hub and we will reallocate them to the wider local community. We just ask that they are still in a good condition and clean.

Accrington Stanley Stars Kelsey Mooney & Tyler Walton helped us launch the initiative and we now encourage as many of you as possible to get yourselves down to Stanley Sports Hub and make a donation if you can.

The scheme has been co-created by former England and Premier League goalkeeper, David James MBE and Utilita – a UK energy company created to help households use less energy. They have worked with schools and grassroots clubs to identify the need to recycle and rehome boots on a national scale and the positive impact it will have for the planet and people’s pockets.

“A WIN-WIN SOLUTION THAT WILL IMPACT A MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE – IT’S AN HONOUR TO BE INVOLVED”
DAVID JAMES MBE

More information about Football Rebooted can be found here https://www.footballrebooted.co.uk/

Accrington Stanley Community Trust has invested a further £30,000 at Stanley Sports Hub to upgrade to new LED Floodlights on the 3G Pitch.

After securing a grant for 70% of the costs from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, the new floodlights will improve energy efficiency and help the environment.

Accrington Stanley Community Trust have been awarded the grant as part of the Football Foundation’s LED Floodlight Fund to support the upgrading of metal halide (‘halogen’) floodlights on Football Foundation-funded floodlit 3G pitches to LED floodlights. LEDs help to reduce energy consumption.

This will save around £8,000 per year with a typical usage. The upfront costs associated with installing LEDs is a barrier for many organisations but that’s where the Floodlight Fund comes in.

Martin Fearon, CEO at Accrington Stanley Community Trust said:

“We’re delighted to have received this grant from the Football Foundation which has allowed us to upgrade our halogen floodlights at Stanley Sports Hub to brand new LED floodlights.

The new floodlights will provide us with a cost saving of up to £8,000 per year, as well as helping the environment. They will also give the users of the site a better playing experience with the latest technology in LED lighting used to enhance the lighting performance.’’

For more information on the facilities available at Stanley Sports Hub, please visit www.stanleysportshub.co.uk