Community champions Dale are now United
ROCHDALE Football Club, through the work of the Dale Community Trust, are to take part in a ‘Communities United’ project.
The project aims to increase community cohesion and build a more diverse and inclusive society.
Six other English Football League clubs are taking part - Oldham Athletic, Salford City, Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers.
The project will compliment existing work that the EFL and its Clubs deliver 365 days a year - successfully engaging with groups that many other programmes fail to reach.
‘Communities United’ will be one of nine projects supported by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with the grant helping the project to bring families from different backgrounds together, increase understanding and awareness of social and cultural differences, challenge stereotypes and unite people through common interests and social action.
Thanks to the funding, the Dale in the Community Trust will aim to engage with 13 families/households from different cultural backgrounds in Rochdale, work with an organisation which represents a local cultural group to help with awareness raising and understanding, as well as delivering three distinct actives including social and heritage, a cultural activity and a social action project.
Keith Hicks, Dale in the Community Trust manager, said: “This is a brilliant project for the club to be involved in, working with the many diverse community groups across the borough.
“It will go some way to seeing how we can bring these communities together for the benefit for both the local community and Rochdale AFC.
“If anyone wishes to get involved, I can be contacted on 07958 593121.”
On top of this, this year’s Autumn National Citizen Service (NCS) activities, hosted by Rochdale Football Club’s Dale in the Community Sports Trust, have proved to be a big success.
Throughout the October half-term week, the NCS Autumn 2020 programme supported young people coming back together with their peers with the plan to reflect the new world and the new normal.
Participants took part in a educational workshops, including gambling awareness, mental health and alcohol awareness. There was also a careers talk from Rochdale AFC Chief Executive, David Bottomley.
Those on the course also took part in fun activities at Go Ape and the Trampoline and Adventure Park, as well getting involved in blind football and rock climbing. The Community Trust says it has received great feedback from the participants.