Peter Reid visits St Helens Town Junior FC for half time inspection (From St Helens Star)

Peter Reid visits St Helens Town Junior FC for half time inspection

5:42pm Monday 11th February 2013 in Sport

 Former Everton legend Peter Reid visited St Helens Town Junior Football Club today to inspect progress on their 90 Day Community Challenge project.

St Helens Town Junior Football Club won a grant of £50,000 in December from The Football Pools, celebrating its 90th year, to makeover their clubhouse in 90 days. Today’s visit from Reid came at half time, 45 days into the 90 Day Challenge.

Reid met with Steve Leather, Club Secretary of St Helens Town Junior FC, for a tour of the club and the renovations completed so far and was delighted with how much progress the club had made.

“Just from spending the day up here it became obvious how seriously Steve Leather and the rest of the club are taking this challenge,” said Reid, who grew up not far from the club in St Helens. “The club is growing at such a rapid rate with regards to the amount of teams that take the field on the weekend, and you can sense how important it is to Steve that they create a facility that can properly accommodate for this evolution.”

Since its formation in 2006, St Helens Town Junior Football Club started with 3 mini soccer teams which has now evolved to having over 300 members across over 20 junior teams. In this period the club has become one of the leading names in junior football and all through the hard work of over 30 qualified coaches. In 2012, St Helens Town Junior FC was awarded the Lancashire County Charter Standard Club of the Year Award.

The Football Pools 90 Day Community Challenge will officially come to an end during the week commencing 8th April and Steve Leather is confident the club would have reached their goals by deadline day, “It’s been a tall order for a club of our size but everything seems to be progressing at a good rate,” he said.

“In a short time we have been able to finish the painting of the clubhouse and make considerable progressions with the flooring, electrics and tiling so the early signs are positive.”

“The local support we have received so far has been humbling and by April we should have a facility that the whole community can be proud of which is all thanks to the amazing contribution of The Football Pools.”

The 90 Day Community Challenge is another example of The Football Pools’ endless support to good causes both in football and further afield. Over £1.1 billion in donations have been made to sport, the arts and charitable initiatives from the gaming company across their 90 years.

“It’s a testament to The Football Pools that they remain this committed to these types of community projects and the 90 day challenge is one of their most exciting to date,” said Reid.

“There is a great atmosphere here at St Helens and I have been astonished by the support that Steve has been receiving from the rest of the club and the wider local community to get the job done within the 90 days that has been set.”

For more information or if you would like to get involved with the 90 Day Challenge at St Helens Junior Football Club through donating time, funds or materials please email communitychallenge@sthelenstownjfc.co.uk. Play The Football Pools at www.footballpools.com.