Footballing legend, Mark Lawrenson and Cuadrilla CEO Francis Egan have both today visited the AFC Fylde Community Education Centre, following a £5 million investment into the facility from principal sponsor Cuadrilla.
Designed to help the development of children and adults, the Foundation has improved the lives of those living in the local community through a variety of programmes, made possible by funding from Cuadrilla Resources.
Today’s event, in celebration of the 7,000 people who have benefitted from the opening of the Foundation, hosted Mark and Francis as they engaged with the activities taking place at the Foundation as well as meeting members of the Fylde community.
In the next four months, the Education Centre will open doors to employment for an impressive 760 adults, after gaining qualifications through various programmes at the Foundation.
Ex-football pro and BBC pundit, Mark Lawrenson said: “I’m a big advocate for teaming classroom-based learning sessions with physical activities such as AFC Fylde’s Train Like A Pro programme. As an ex footballer I know first-hand the benefits of keeping your body active as well as your brain.”
CEO of Cuadrilla, Francis Egan said: “It’s amazing to finally see the Education Centre open to the local community. We are committed to supporting the education and ambitions of Fylde’s youth and look forward to seeing it develop in the years to come.”
Speaking about the investment, AFC Fylde Director, Tom Hutton: “The Foundation will continue to grow through the support of Cuadrilla Resources, within the next three months will be setting up a brand new, Health, Wellbeing and Social Inclusion based programme, which will use the power of football to engage and motivate adults who are at risk of social isolation.”
