Accrington Stanley Community Trust have once again reached the final of the Hyndburn Business Awards.

The Trust have reached the finalists stage for the Community Business of the year award just 12 months on from winning it in 2016. Martin Fearon, Community Trust Manager said: “We are delighted to have reached the final again and we are hoping we can retain our ‘title’ from last year! We have continued to make big strides forward over the past 12 months and we are looking forward to the event in June.’’

Full Details below;

Community Business of the Year Finalists

Accrington Stanley Community Trust

Civic Arts Centre Oswaldtwistle

Lancashire Women’s Centre

In six years, the Community Trust has raised around £1.5million and with this has been able to develop and deliver a varied repertoire of projects and programmes, successfully engaging a staggering 10,000 people in the last 12 months across the areas of Hyndburn, the Ribble Valley and Rossendale.

Investing in frontline provision across our four key themes; sport participation, health, social inclusion and education, the Trust has enjoyed unprecedented growth in all areas and now proudly has a number of positive outcomes, listed below:

• We increase participation in Sport & Exercise in Hyndburn by providing a range of sporting opportunities.
• We promote wellbeing and healthy lifestyles within local communities.
• We provide activities that engage hundreds of disabled young people each year.
• We run a hugely successful ‘Stanley Soccer League’ with over 400 adult participants playing 7 aside football every week.
• We give free sports coaching sessions to disadvantaged young people who have very little access to such provision.
• We facilitate Walking Football and socialising activities for over 50s in the area to increase exercise and reduce social isolation.
• We develop and empower leaders, coaches and volunteers.
• We engage and inspire young people, raising and celebrating educational achievement.
• We have over 40 full time students studying BTEC qualifications and have progressed over 20 former students onto university.
• We have affiliations with over 30 local primary schools and a further 18 secondary schools.

In addition to this, Accrington Stanley Community Trust now employs 10 full time individuals from the local area, with a further 10 part time staff members.

To find out more about the Trust please visit the website www.stanleytrust.co.uk