Here’s the latest from Keith and the team!
Welcome again so soon as we have another home match to enjoy at Spotland against our local rivals from the Fylde Coast.
WALKING FOOTBALL HALF TIME ENTERTAINMENT
Our friends from the Walking Football Programme will be entertaining supporters at half time against their counterparts from Fleetwood on a reciprocal visit having played against each other earlier in the season at Highbury.
They are part of the Sport England funded Improving Participation and Health in Rochdale Project supported by Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group
SPORT ENGLAND-IMPROVING PARTICIPATION & HEALTH IN ROCHDALE PROJECT
The project is intended to increase male and female participation in sporting activities for two age groups: 18-39’s and 40-55’s focusing in the Wards of Spotland & Falinge, Milkstone & Deeplish, and Smallbridge & Firgrove.
The aim is to attract participants in these Wards by offering football, basketball and volleyball sessions then provide pathways to help in reducing health inequalities focusing on diet and nutrition, smoking and alcohol.
Participants have been be offered the opportunity to undertake coaching, sports leader, sports volunteer or officiating awards. They will also be offered the opportunity to train as health trainers.
It is a three year programme that will hopefully go some way to assisting people in Rochdale improve healthy life styles.
We are very proud to have been selected as one of a very few projects nationwide to have been successful in the bidding process and my thanks go to Rob Halsall, who was instrumental in putting the bid together and who without we would have fallen well short in the application process.
One of our regular attenders on the Walking Football Programme is Craig Preston, who recently was presented with a Changing Lifestyle Recognition Award at a Link4Life Awards Evening. Craig’s stroke at forty two impacted upon all aspects of his everyday life.
Craig joined a Stroke Action group and takes part in walking football, badminton and yoga sessions.
He now finds everyday tasks like walking and shopping much easier and enjoys the social element of meeting other survivors, has recently trained as a Health Champion and was an ambassador for the Health Smart campaign encouraging others to get active.
Craig is also one of the Match Day Stewards helping to make matches a spectator friendly day out in a safe environment.
Anyone who is interested in the Project should contact me on 07958593121 for details of session venues, days and times.
See you all in two weeks when Burton Albion visit Spotland, when we will giving the Under 9’s Ladies team a chance to show off their skills at half time.