Belper announce disability scheme

Belper Town Football club is delighted to announce the launch of its Disability Football Programme.

The initiative will form part of the Derbyshire Inclusive Football Clubs programme. The Inclusive Clubs programme is mentored by Derby County in the Community and operates in partnership with the Derbyshire County Football Association.

All sessions are delivered by Charter Standard Club coaches who hold the relevant FA coaching, emergency aid and child protection qualifications. The aim of the programme is to create activities for young people with disabilities no more than 30 minutes travel time from where they live.

Derbyshire has taken great strides forward in developing more opportunities for young players with disabilities to participate across the county by working with local Charter Standard clubs to develop provision in their local area. All of the clubs provide young players with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the nation’s favourite game and improve their skills, confidence and motivation to move forward within the game.

The inclusive clubs also provide the opportunity to develop social skills within a fun safe environment under the supervision of qualified and knowledgeable coaching staff.

At its game against Goole AFC last Tuesday evening, the Club welcomed a number of key figures who have contributed to the establishment of Belper Town Football Club as one of the Derbyshire Inclusive Clubs.

These included Nick Mirfin from the Derbyshire Community Foundation who generously provided grant aid of £2,500 to establish the Disability Football Centre in Belper.

Belper Town Deputy Mayor, Councillor Mark Robertson, James Cook, Disability Sport Officer from Derbyshire Sport and England Disability Football International player, Ryan Taylor were also in attendance along with Rob Willis, one of the Club’s community coaches who has been recruited by Belper Town Football Club to manage the Belper Disability Football Centre.

The new sessions will commence on Friday 14th October and will take place from 5.00pm to 6.00pm in the Sports Hall at Belper Leisure Centre. Due to the generosity of the Derbyshire Community Foundation, the Club has been able to limit the price of the session to £3.00 per person with the first four sessions free of charge for each individual.

The sessions are open to local boys and girls aged from 6 to 16 and potential attendees should attend Belper Leisure Centre at 5.00pm on Friday evenings. Enquiries and bookings for the sessions can be obtained from:

Sam Turner (Derby County in the Community) 07931 996681
Rob Willis (BTFC Disability Coach) 07773 469826
David Laughlin (BTFC Secretary) 07768 010604

For the first 10 weeks, the sessions will be operated by a qualified coach from Derby County in the Community with support from Belper Town FC coaches.

In the longer term, the sessions will be operated by Belper Town FC but still under the guidance of DCITC.