Transforming Telford

A new street football court on a Telford estate will be officially opened at a ceremony next week attended by AFC Telford United’s rising star Elliott Durrell. Councillor Denis Allen, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services, will also attend the unveiling of the new facility in Woodside.

The Panna football court in Park Lane has been built thanks to a £10,000 grant from the Youth Opportunity Fund secured by members of the Woodside Youth Centre, who will attend the opening on Tuesday (November 20). The young people were also involved in planning the new facility which caters for a popular form of street football.

Defender Elliott, a graduate of the club’s youth team, will attend the opening which will see a special demonstration of Panna football. Sports coaches will be on hand to advise on Panna football skills and two of the young people who led the project - Dale Fenn and Danny Boden - will be awarded certificates and vouchers in a recognition of their involvement.

Support services and construction company Carillion, which is currently working on the West 2 phase of the estate’s regeneration, prepared the area and resurfaced the area without charge.

The Panna court is on the site of the former youth centre building, which was demolished as part of the ongoing regeneration of the south Telford estate. The youth centre is now located in the Park Lane Centre, opposite the Panna court, which opened last year.

The Park Lane Centre will manage the facility and have footballs available to loan out to young people. The Woodside Youth Centre is also planning training sessions in Panna football skills.

Danny, 17, said “The Panna Court will give young people on the estate something to do which means they would not been seen as causing trouble.”

Will Schofield, Regeneration Manager at Transforming Telford which is leading the regeneration, said: “This is the first of what I hope will be a number of new facilities for young people on Woodside. The regeneration of the estate should benefit everyone living there, and I hope that the young people will enjoy using this great facility.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• Media are invited to attend the opening of the Panna court between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on Tuesday November 20. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Jo Cunningham on 07815 913887 or info@jocunningham.co.uk

• The 10-year Woodside regeneration project aims to breathe new life into the physical and social environment of the south Telford area. It is being delivered by a partnership of agencies, led by Transforming Telford for Telford & Wrekin Council. It includes national regeneration agency English Partnerships, The Wrekin Housing Trust, Advantage West Midlands, Government Office of the West Midlands and The Housing Corporation.