Children from Higher Blackley, Middleton and Rochdale take part in fun football event

Rochdale AFC community coaches delivered a free football coaching session for children aged 4 to 11 and of all abilities

Rochdale AFC community coaches delivered a free football coaching session for children aged 4 to 11 and of all abilities on Sunday 7 September at The Co-operative Academy of Manchester in Higher Blackley.

The session was organised by The Co-operative Group as part of its programme of community projects in conjunction with Rochdale AFC. The fun event, which attracted children from Middleton, Higher Blackley and Rochdale, was a great success. The children were recruited from feeder primary schools to The Co-operative Academy of Manchester; staff and customers from the Co-op and from Rochdale AFC community programmes in the area.

On the day, the boys and girls practiced football skills in small groups with the Rochdale community coaches and then took part in small-sided games, putting the skills they had learnt to the test. Each child received a certificate and a goody bag to take away.
.
Speaking after the event, Keith Hicks, Head of Community at Rochdale AFC, said: “It was great to round off our year-long community programme with The Co-operative Group with the event on Sunday, using the first class facilities at The Co-operative Academy of Manchester in Higher Blackley.

"The programme which started in September 2013 has provided free football coaching opportunities for over 2,600 local children in North Manchester and Rochdale. Almost 100 children took part in Sunday’s event alone and it was great to see the children’s enthusiasm and how much their parents enjoyed it too.”