Local youngsters play tournament at Manchester United training ground

Date published: 11/04/2007

Young people facing social exclusion in the Rochdale area weren given a fantastic opportunity to receive professional football training and play a tournament at the Manchester United training ground.

The course was run by Fairbridge, a charity providing long term personal support to disadvantaged young people, with funding received from The Co-operative Foundation.

Sue Hennessey, Charity Manager at The Co-operative Foundation said: "The Co-operative Foundation are delighted to be supporting this valuable community project, which works with some of the hardest to reach young people in the local community and also reflects our co-operative values of self-help."

Alice Dunn, Partnership Development Officer at Fairbridge added: "The funding received from The Co-operative Foundation has allowed these young people to access professional coaching and excellent facilities. In addition, within the Fairbridge programme they have developed personal, social and life skills, raising their self-belief and motivation and will eventually be ready to re-enter education or employment."

The young people attended training sessions with professional football coaches leading up to the tournament on the 30 March where they played their peers from other Fairbridge teams.

Fairbridge in Rochdale works with 13-25 year olds from the local area who are disengaged from mainstream society, often not in education, employment or training. Fairbridge offers young people a fresh start, someone to believe in them and a chance to prove themselves.

The Co-operative Foundation has awarded more than 400 grants to community groups and individuals across the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands in the past year. This brings the total amount awarded by the Foundation to more than £2.3 million since its inception in 2000.  United Co-operatives is the UK’s largest independent co-operative society and operates across the North West, The Midlands and in Yorkshire. The Society’s businesses include convenience stores and supermarkets, travel, pharmacies, funerals and motor dealerships.