Young people in Blacon can take part in free sport sessions with Chester FC Community Trust this summer.

Funded through the Blacon councillors’ member budgets, the Game On sessions are completely free and open to anyone aged 10-16.

Community Trust coaches will lead football and multi-sport activities, giving youngsters the chance to meet up with mates, keep active and develop their skills.

Sessions will run on Tuesdays at Blacon Avenue MUGA and Thursdays at Western Avenue from 6.30pm, starting from Tuesday 18th May.

Game On (Ages 10-16)

Tuesdays 6.30pm to 8pm at Blacon Avenue MUGA, CH1 5BU

Thursdays 6.30pm to 8pm at Western Avenue, CH1 5PA

If you would like more information, email community@chesterfc.com or call 07512 355396.

 

Chester FC Community Trust’s popular Chester FC Soccer School returns for May half-term at Goals Soccer Centre.

Offering high quality, safe holiday provision for parents and guardians, the Chester FC Soccer School will be delivered in line with Government and FA guidance to ensure the health and wellbeing of attendees with Covid-secure safety measures in place.

The Soccer School will run from 10am to 3pm from Tuesday 1st to Friday 4th June and each day youngsters will take part in a range of activities with Community Trust coaches.

Places cost £15 per day and advance booking is essential as places are strictly limited. The measures in place will include the use of bubbles, temperature checks, regular hand washing and sanitizing, disinfecting of equipment and PPE.

A list of Frequently Asked Questions relating to the Chester FC Soccer School can be accessed here.

Bookings are now open and can be made via Eventbrite here. Places for each session are limited and early booking is encouraged. If for any reason the event is unable to go ahead or you cannot attend, you will receive a full refund.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact 07512 355396 or email community@chesterfc.com.

Ellesmere Port has been shortlisted to apply for Active Through Football funding, an exciting new programme from the Football Foundation and Sport England.

Active Through Football is a five-year project that will use football to help people get active and is aimed at people who are over 16 and are from a lower socio-economic background. Each project will be community led with local people shaping the activities and how it develops over time.

Four local organisations – Active Cheshire, Chester FC Community Trust, Cheshire FA and Cheshire West & Chester Council – are working together on the application and looking to engage individuals and groups in Ellesmere Port to understand the views of the community.

It had been hoped to do this face-to-face, however this is no longer possible due to Covid-19 but we are still to keen to connect with communities and are asking local people to complete a survey, whether you currently play football, have never played before or used to play. We are particularly keen to hear from people living in Westminster, Central & Grange, Wolverham or Sutton Villages, women and people from a black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) background.

Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a prize draw for one of two £100 One4All gift cards.

COMPLETE THE SURVEY NOW

Chester FC Community Trust has an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Community Coach to become a key member of our team.

If you want to make a difference in our community and share our passion for sport and its ability to positively impact people’s lives, we would love to hear from you.

This is a part-time post for 30 hours per week on a six-month fixed term contract initially, however with potential to lead to full-time employment. Due to the nature of the role, some evening and weekend work will be neccesary.

You will plan and deliver high-quality coaching sessions to a broad range of participants and support the development of new programmes targeting increased participation. As well as delivering outstanding sessions, the successful applicant will also be expected to maintain and develop excellent relationships between Chester FC and our community partners, and assist with monitoring and evaluation for projects.

Applicants will ideally hold a Level 2 in Coaching Football qualification, have experience of delivering in school or club environments and a recognised coaching qualification in another sport would be an advantage. Candidates must have a full UK driving licence and appointment will be subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

In return we offer a competitive salary, Chester FC uniform, support with CPD and training, company pension scheme and a fantastic opportunity to progress your coaching career within a successful club community organisation.

HOW TO APPLY

Please read the role profile and person specification below and then send a completed application form along with your CV marked for the attention of Jim Green via jim.green@chesterfc.com

Application Form

Role Profile

Person Specification

The closing date for applications is Friday 23rd April 2021.

Applications are now open for the Chester FC Girls Player Development Centre (PDC) ahead of it restarting on Monday 26th April.

The Girls PDC aims to support young female footballers in reaching their potential through advanced training with professional coaches in a positive environment, providing a pathway to the Chester FC Women teams or FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) programme for players of exceptional ability.

Players continue to train and play for their grassroots club, and will take part in a coaching programme based on the The FA’s 4 Corner Model for player development.

The programme runs on the 3G pitch at Blacon High School on Monday evenings at 5pm for U8s & U10s and 6pm for U12s & U14s. For U16s players, a separate pathway exists that includes opportunities to train with the Chester FC Women’s Development Squad.

Sessions run in six week blocks during term-time and each block costs £30. Player’s will be invited to attend an initial assessment to ensure the programme is appropriate to their current stage of development. 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

For more information, email community@chesterfc.com or call 07512 355396.

Chester FC Community Trust is committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of everyone who attends our sessions.

All activities will be planned and delivered in line with the latest Government and FA guidance with additional measures and procedures in place for your safety. This includes collecting and storing the names and contact information of participants for NHS Test and Trace purposes.

Do you have a passion for coaching and developing young footballers to reach the potential?

Chester FC Community Trust is recruiting new football coaches for our Player Development Centre (PDC) programmes for boys and girls.

Candidates should have FA Level 2 or UEFA B coaching qualification together with FA Emergency Aid and FA Safeguarding Children certificates.

You will have experience working with Foundation Phase players, a strong understanding of the The FA’s four-corner model and a commitment to developing your own skills and knowledge.

Chester FC PDC sessions run on Mondays and Fridays from 5pm to 7pm during term time.

These are sessional positions with potential for additional coaching hours across our school and community programmes.

You will be required to travel to and from a variety of venues with appropriate equipment and as the role involves working with children, candidates will be subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

In return we offer a competitive salary and a fantastic opportunity to progress your coaching career within a successful club community organisation.

To apply for this role, please send a CV and covering letter to Chief Executive Jim Green via email to jim.green@chesterfc.com.

We are pleased to confirm the Chester FC Boys Player Development Centre (PDC) is restarting on Friday 23rd April.

Designed to support young footballers in reaching their potential through advanced training with professional coaches in a positive environment, the PDC aims to bridge the gap between grassroots football and elite football, providing a pathway to the Chester FC Academy.

Players continue to train and play for their grassroots club, and will take part in a coaching programme based on the The FA’s 4 Corner Model for player development.

The programme runs on the 3G pitch at Hare Lane, home of Chester RUFC, on Friday  evenings at 5pm for U7s, U8s & U9s and 6pm for U10s, U11s & U12s. Sessions run in six week blocks during term-time and each block costs £30. Player’s will be invited to attend an initial assessment to ensure the programme is appropriate to their current stage of development.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

For more information, email community@chesterfc.com or call 07512 355396.

Chester FC Community Trust is committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of everyone who attends our sessions.

All activities will be planned and delivered in line with the latest Government and FA guidance with additional measures and procedures in place for your safety. This includes collecting and storing the names and contact information of participants for NHS Test and Trace purposes.

Youngsters have been given a helping hand to keep active during the school holidays by Chester FC Community Trust.

Thanks to the Welcome Network and Feeding Britain, the Community Trust has delivered 100 home activity packs to local schools for Easter.

Each contains a range of sporting equipment to encourage children and their families in getting active at home. The activity packs compliment the wider food and activity offer for children eligible for free school meals across Chester and Cheshire West through the holidays.

Jim Green, CEO of Chester FC Community Trust, said: “Opportunities for children to play and be active have been severely impacted during the pandemic.

“Sport and exercise is vital for our physical and mental wellbeing and the activity packs ensure children and their families have access to equipment to enable them to get active.

“We would like to thank the Welcome Network and Feeding Britain for making this possible.”

There is a wide range of support available for families across the borough through the school holidays, including access to food and activities. 

The Community Trust has also has a number of subsidised places available for children eligible for free school meals at its Easter Chester FC Soccer School costing £5 per child, which includes a healthy lunch. If you’d like more details about these places, email community@chesterfc.com. 

Click here for more information about support for families in Cheshire West and Chester

Chester FC Community Trust has four new job placements available as part of the Government’s Kickstart Scheme.

Kickstart provides funding to employers to create job placements for 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment.

The roles are six-month paid work placements for 25 hours per week and will give young people the opportunity to gain experience and build their skills in the workplace.

The Community Trust is the charitable partner of Chester FC and delivers a range of projects and activities across four themes: coaching, education, health and inclusion. During the job placement, you will gain valuable experience and receive training and support to develop your skills.

The following posts are available:

Community Coach x 2

Administration Assistant

Facilities Assistant

If you would like to apply for one of these roles or find out more information about the Kickstart Scheme, please contact the Job Centre and talk to your work coach. 

Jim Green, CEO of Chester FC Community Trust, said: “Young people have been hit particularly hard during the pandemic and it is important for us to play our part in supporting them into employment.

“We will be increasing our focus on employability, training and education to help our community recover from Covid and we are pleased to be able to offer these Kickstart placements.

“This is a great chance for young people to get on the jobs ladder with real prospects for further employment after the six-month placement given the opportunities the new sports hub in Blacon will create.

Click here for more information about the Kickstart Scheme

Cheshire West and Chester Council and Chester FC Community Trust have been awarded a grant of £1,068,589 from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation to create a new 3G pitch and pavilion in Blacon.

This brings the total investment at Blacon Playing Fields to £1.8 million for a full-size floodlit artificial grass pitch and a new multi-use community building with changing rooms, kitchen, office and training room, along with a 104-space car park and improved access, creating a community sports hub across the wider site.

The hub will become the new base for Chester FC Community Trust and provide state-of-the-art sport and community facilities for grassroots clubs and leagues, sports groups and local organisations.

The Council and Chester FC Community Trust worked with the Football Foundation and Cheshire FA to secure the £1m grant towards the scheme. Planning permission was granted in December and partnership funding from the Council, Westminster Foundation, Avenue Services, Ursula Keyes Trust and Chester FC Community Trust means work can now start. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

Plans are also proposed to improve the existing facilities at King George V Playing Fields with new drainage for the grass pitches and refurbishment of the derelict pavilion.

Gemma Davies, Director of Housing and Economy for Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “What a fantastic investment this is for the area. Sport is essential for improving health, not only physical but mental health as well. The new facilities will greatly improve the leisure opportunities in Blacon and for the surrounding area.

“The grant will enable both junior and open age football teams to benefit from the new facilities and increase playing opportunities for women and girls, people with disabilities and older people.”Chester FC Community Trust will establish a new post-16 education centre at the hub and the pitch will be available for local schools to use during the day.

Jim Green, CEO of Chester FC Community Trust, said: “The grant of £1m from the Football Foundation is huge for local football and will enable us to bring our vision of a thriving hub for community sport to life.

“This is a really significant investment in Blacon and Chester that will deliver much needed facilities that will increase participation in sport, create new education and employability opportunities and improve health and wellbeing for many years.

“This is a very exciting moment for us, and it would not have been possible without the support and belief from our partners, stakeholders and community, for which we are incredibly grateful.”

The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports charity and exists to improve the experience of playing football for everyone, by championing fair access to quality facilities.

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “This grant award to Cheshire West and Chester Council and Chester FC Community Trust towards developing a new state-of-the-art sports hub is great news for the local community.

“It will support people’s ability to play our national game locally and therefore help unlock football’s many benefits to physical and mental wellbeing. That’s why we’re committed to transforming the face of grassroots football facilities in this country. It’s therefore very welcome news to hear that this funding will help Cheshire West and Chester Council and Chester FC Community Trust to improve access to high-quality football facilities for local clubs and provide new sport and education opportunities for all ages.

“The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA, government and Sport England – support facility development projects like this across the country over the next decade to transform our grassroots game and unlock the power of pitches.”

If you would like to know more about the scheme, have any questions or would like to be involved in the project, please contact Community Trust chief executive Jim Green on 01244 371376 or email jim.green@chesterfc.com.