Football academy receives O2 award boost

11:28am Thursday 5th June 2008

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CLOCK Face Junior Academy has not been open that long - but already it has succeeded in attracting a healthy number of local youngsters keen to master footballing skills.

The academy, which largely attracts children from Sutton Manor and Clock Face area, now has two nights a week up at the Shining Light Centre in Sutton Manor, where the youngsters are taught by three qualified coaches and other helpers.

And the set-up has been given a double boost recently - after first getting an award of £700 from O2, they have subsequently been given a grant of £450 from St Helens Council to assist with health and fitness in the borough.

In awarding their grant, O2 stated: "We were pleased to learn about your project and we are certain that it will help inspire more people to get involved in their own communities so that collectively we can make an even bigger difference.

"As the Its your community programme grows we are continuing to look at different ways of connecting people and supporting individuals and groups throughout the United Kingdom to make a difference."

Jenny Leyland, who runs the academy, said: "Apart from three qualified coaches we have four lads doing their Football Association Volunteer Award which, when they have given us 200 hours, will be able to get their Level 1 coaching badge. We now have our first female coach Shelley James who will also be on the volunteer award scheme."

To raise funds to help the running of the academy there will be a fun day at Clock Face Miners on Sunday 13 July.