We are proud to host a range of armed forces programmes within the community. This includes serving personnel, families, veterans and families of veterans.
Within our sessions, veterans have the chance to engage with other members of the armed forces community, providing an opportunity to rediscover the unique camaraderie of serving soldiers. This includes coffee mornings, breakfast clubs, walking and running football, and the opportunity to represent Blackpool FC in veterans competitions against other clubs in the NW.
Due to COVID19, face to face community provisions have had to be suspended. However, continuing to keep participants connected is something we have endeavoured to do throughout this challenging time.
Next week is Loneliness Awareness Week which is a week dedicated to understanding and encouraging conversations about loneliness. Throughout the last few months, in addition to the Community Hubs we have been supporting to help provide local people with food parcels and health and well being checks, we have continued to keep in touch with our participants through online sessions, virtual discussions, phone calls and Live Facebook video walks on a Tuesday and Saturday mornings. If you would like to take part, please contact: Dave.Marsland@bfcct.co.uk
Furthermore, Marianna Mitchel and Anthony Finch, who both volunteer for the Community Trust through our Veterans programmes, have been down to work on the Fylde Memorial Arboretum and Community Woodland. Blackpool FC & Blackpool FC Community Trust are in partnership with the Woodlands Trust and National Football Museum and have planted trees to commemorate the sacrifice of five former players.
George Elmore, Arthur Evans, William Fiske, Benjamin Green and Fred Griffiths were all players who represented Blackpool Football Club but sadly, along with thousands of others, fell during WWI.
Unfortunately, the area dedicated to Blackpool FC’s fallen soldiers had been left unattended and overgrown due to COVID19. However, now that restrictions have eased, both volunteers and staff have been down on separate occasions to clean up, plant new flowers and make plans to do this on a much more regular basis.
The Arboretum’s purpose is to “provide the Service Associations and the people of Blackpool and the Fylde with a place of peace and beauty in which to remember their fallen comrades and loved ones” and is the only one in the UK outside the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
For those wishing to visit the beautiful five and a half acre site, see the players dedication plaques and trees, you can find the Arboretum in the fields next to Moor Park School on Moor Park Avenue in Bispham, Blackpool.
In the future we hope to create a gardening group so please keep your eyes peeled for more information on how you can get involved.
