COMMUNITY:
POWERED BY COUNTY
Creating opportunities which changes lives across Stockport.
Our Vision for 2030
Alison Warwood
On behalf of everyone at Stockport County Community Trust, I am proud to introduce our new strategy for 2026–2030. We believe this strategy builds on the work the Trust has delivered since its first strategy which was published in July 2023 and a strategy that responds to both the opportunities that exist and the challenges facing our borough. We believe this is an ambitious strategy, setting out our vision for 2030 and the impact we hope to have.
Stockport in 2026 is a place of growth and potential, but it is also a place where inequalities remain stark and, in many cases, are increasing. Over the last three years, since our first strategy was published, we have seen the cost of living continuing to rise, widening
Alison Warwood, CEO, Stockport County Community Trust
health inequalities across the borough, and growing challenges for young people. This highlights that more individuals and families than ever in Stockport need accessible and community focused support.
As the charitable partner of Stockport County Football Club, we are uniquely positioned to use the power, reach and influence of the club and of football to engage communities and create positive change. Our new strategy builds on the strong foundations of our previous work, while setting a clear direction to deliver more innovative, community-led programmes that create lasting impact.
At the heart of this strategy is a commitment to tackling inequality, improving health
and wellbeing and creating meaningful opportunities for people of all ages. We are ambitious in what we want to achieve, but we are also clear that lasting change can only be achieved through strong partnerships, deep community insight and a continued focus on quality and impact.
This strategy represents our commitment to being proactive, inclusive and creative in our approach and to ensuring we continue to provide opportunities that truly change lives.
mark stott
When I first became involved with Stockport County, it was never just about what happens on the pitch. It was about what this club represents in its community and the role it can play in making a meaningful and lasting difference to people’s lives.
This new strategy for Stockport County Community Trust sets out a bold and important vision for the years ahead. It reflects both the growing opportunities within Stockport and the very real challenges that many of our communities continue to face. As inequalities across the town widen and demand for support increases, the role of the Trust has never been more vital.
Mark Stott, Owner of Stockport County Football Club
What makes this work so powerful is the unique position we hold as a football club at the heart of the town. Football has an extraordinary ability to bring people together and to inspire positive change and through the Trust, that influence is being channelled into programmes that improve health and wellbeing, raise aspirations, and create opportunities for people of all ages.
I am incredibly proud of what has already been achieved since the Trust was established and of the strong partnerships that have been built across the borough. This strategy builds on those foundations and sets an ambitious course to go further and in
doing so, reaching more people, responding to greater need and delivering lasting impact where it matters most.
We are committed, as a club, to supporting this work and ensuring that Stockport County continues to be a force for good both on and off the pitch and ensuring that the positive impact of this club is felt far beyond Edgeley Park.
Reflecting back over the past three years
Stockport County Community Trust has come a long way since it launched its first strategy ‘Inspiring, Educating and Supporting our Community’ in July 2023.
Progress has been made across all areas of the charity including improving its governance, increasing levels of participation, introducing a large number of new programmes and being able to demonstrate the impact we have been able to have.
Key highlights over the last three years have included:
• Introducing strong monitoring and evaluation tools to help fully capture the impact the Trust is having on communities across Stockport.
• Developing and diversifying income streams focusing on funding programmes through grants, fundraising, commissioned programmes and support from Stockport County Football Club.
• Building relationships with key stakeholders across the borough including the local authority, local businesses and the voluntary sector.
• The introduction of innovative and award winning programmes including the Kits by County scheme and an education project which is offered free of charge to every school in Stockport.
Increasing the staff team from five full time staff in 2023 to current staff levels of
23
Full time staff
Increasing participation to now working with over
Growing the social value that the Trust delivers so that now for every £1 invested into the Trust we generate £6 worth of social value into Stockport
10 10,000 £1 £6
Invested into the Trust we generate
Part time staff
People each year worth of social value into Stockport
demonstrating impact
90 Minute Club Premier League Kicks social wellbeing group
“We find the different activities stimulate people with dementia, and that’s the biggest thing for us. Talking about football and memories helps Graham remember different things, so it really helps. It triggers conversations that we talk about all week. It makes us really, really happy.”
“The Premier League Kicks sessions have helped me become much more confident in myself. If the sessions weren’t on, I’d have likely spent those Monday evenings in my room playing on the Xbox. To have stuck with something for three years and still enjoy it feels amazing.”
“The Social Wellbeing Group is like my safe home. I started coming because I needed help with my anxiety. I enjoy that you can express your feelings and talk about your problems, which helps everyone. I’ve made a lot of friends, and the staff are so understanding and welcoming!”
Jill & Graham
Xavier
Phil Warbuton
Be you, youth zone walking football
“I love coming to the Youth Zone. I have met lots of new friends. I like the activities we do, especially the trips we go on. There isn’t much for girls to do so it’s nice to have somewhere to go. It provides opportunities that no one else does locally”
“It’s not just about the walking football. It’s about the socialising and friendships you make along the way. After being ill, it’s reassuring to know we all share the same problems, and by talking to each other, you feel better for it.”
Phillip
Get active with county
“I feel fitter, stronger, I can even open my jars now! Most of us have been coming for over two years so we have a close group, it’s a great bunch of ladies.”
Alice
Mandy
Understanding the needs of Stockport:
What has changed since 2023
This strategy builds on the foundations of Stockport County Community Trust’s first strategic plan, published in 2023, recognising how the needs of the borough have evolved over the past three years.
Since the launch of our previous strategy, the social and economic landscape has changed significantly. The ongoing cost of living crisis, widening health inequalities, increasing demand for mental health support and growing pressures on children, young people and families have intensified existing challenges and created new ones. This refreshed strategy reflects these changes and sets out how the Trust will respond over the coming years.
While Stockport is widely recognised as a borough of opportunity and prosperity, significant and widening inequalities continue to affect many residents. Although many areas are relatively affluent, others experience some of the highest levels of deprivation in Greater Manchester. Lancashire Hill is now recognised as the region’s most deprived neighbourhood, illustrating the stark inequalities that exist across the borough.
The cost of living continues to have a profound impact on local communities. Around one in four
children are eligible for free school meals, while increasing numbers of families struggle to afford essentials such as food, clothing and household bills. Financial hardship is no longer confined to those traditionally considered vulnerable, with many working households now relying on community support for the first time.
Health inequalities remain one of Stockport’s greatest challenges. Residents living in the most deprived communities can expect to live more than ten years fewer than those in the least deprived areas, often experiencing poorer health at a much younger age. Demand for services addressing mental health, physical inactivity and obesity continues to grow, alongside increasing pressures on health and care services. Childhood obesity remains a significant concern, reinforcing the importance of early intervention to establish healthier lifestyles.
Young people are facing increasingly complex challenges. The combined effects of deprivation and the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to higher school absence, lower educational attainment and reduced participation in positive activities. Youth unemployment has increased, with more young people at risk of becoming disengaged from education,
employment or training, impacting confidence, wellbeing and future opportunities.
Loneliness, poor mental wellbeing and anti-social behaviour also continue to affect communities across the borough. Social isolation is increasingly recognised as a major contributor to poor health, while anti-social behaviour can undermine community cohesion and perceptions of safety. Creating opportunities for people to connect, participate and develop a sense of belonging has never been more important.
Collectively, these trends demonstrate that need is emerging earlier, becoming more complex and affecting a broader cross-section of the population than when our first strategy was launched.
Working alongside local authorities, health partners, schools, voluntary organisations and businesses, Stockport County Community Trust will use the power of football to tackle inequalities, improve physical and mental wellbeing, raise aspirations and create stronger, healthier and more connected communities across Stockport.
Our Mission
Driven by community: Powered by county
Using Stockport County to deliver innovative and community led programmes that create positive and lasting impact.
Our purpose & aim
Our purpose is to deliver programmes that:
• Tackle inequality
• Improve health & wellbeing
• Create positive opportunities with the aim of changing lives for the better for the people of stockport.
driven by community: powered by county
Values
Stockport County Community Trust will ensure that all its programmes are underpinned by our strong core values to ensure we deliver quality in everything we do.
We achieve this by being;
Community Led
We listen, respond and shape our work around the real needs and aspirations of people across Stockport.
Stronger Together
We work collaboratively and build trusted partnerships to maximise our impact.
Innovative
We are bold and ambitious; we embrace new ideas and aren’t afraid to challenge ourselves to achieve more.
Authentic
We act with integrity, earning trust through our actions and represent the club with pride.
Proactive
We take action, we lead from the front, and don’t wait for change: we create it.
Empowering
We help people build confidence, develop skills and create opportunities, enabling individuals and communities to realise their potential.
our ambitions for 2030
Stockport County Community Trust is committed to making a positive impact by 2030 by achieving four ambitious goals.
by 2030 we will have
Engaged more people
This will be achieved by working with a minimum of 40,000 people over the next four years.
Improved lives
This will be achieved by 80% of participants reporting improved health, wellbeing, confidence or aspirations.
Increased our social value
This will be achieved by increasing our current social value from £6 to £8 worth of benefit for every pound invested into the Trust delivering approximately £30 million of social value into Stockport over the next four years.
Reached more communities
This will be achieved by delivering programmes in every ward in Stockport but focusing on the areas which have the greatest need.
driven by community: powered by county
Our areas of strategic focus
Stockport County Community Trust will focus on three strategic areas that have been developed through consultation with local stakeholders and partners and based on the need of the community of Stockport.
1. healthier lives
Providing opportunities and removing barriers to participation with the aim of increasing levels of physical activity for people in Stockport, which leads to better physical health
2. connected communities
Providing activities and opportunities to improve social connectivity and to reduce isolation for participants which lead to better mental health.
Underpinning each thread will be the theme of inclusion. This will ensure our provision is open, accessible and welcome to all communities particularly those that are currently under-represented and those that require the most support.
3. Inspiring futures
Providing education and enrichment opportunities for young people and adults to drive personal development, achievement and aspiration.
HEALTHIER LIVES
Providing opportunities and removing barriers to participation with the aim of increasing levels of physical activity for people in Stockport, which leads to better physical health.
Objective 1:
INCREASE PARTICIPATION
Increase participation in physical activity by delivering accessible, inclusive and affordable opportunities that engage people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, with a particular focus on under-represented and inactive communities.
objective 3:
IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES
Use the power of sport and physical activity to improve physical health and reduce levels of obesity, supporting people to develop healthier lifestyles and build lifelong habits that enhance quality of life.
Objective 2:
REDUCE HEALTH INEQUALITIES
Target programmes and resources where they are needed most, working with partners to reduce health inequalities, improve physical wellbeing and support residents living in areas of greatest deprivation across Stockport.
These objectives align closely with the priorities of Stockport’s One Stockport Borough Plan, GM Moving (Greater Manchester’s physical activity strategy), the NHS Neighbourhood Strategy and Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy.
Objective 4:
REMOVE BARRIERS
Work collaboratively with communities and partners to identify and remove barriers to participation, ensuring everyone, regardless of age, gender, disability, ethnicity or socioeconomic background, has the opportunity to be active, feel welcome and reach their potential.
driven by community: powered by county
connected communities
Providing activities and opportunities to improve social connectivity and to reduce isolation for participants which lead to better mental health.
Objective 1: reduce social isolation
Create welcoming, inclusive environments where people of all ages can develop meaningful relationships, reduce loneliness and isolation and build a strong sense of belonging within local communities.
Objective 2: Improve mental health & wellbeing
Deliver accessible programmes that use the power of physical activity to improve mental health, build emotional resilience and support people to lead happier, healthier lives.
objective 3:
Strengthen community connections
Bring communities together through volunteering, intergenerational activities, community events and football-inspired programmes that foster social cohesion, celebrate diversity and strengthen community pride across Stockport.
Objective 4:
Support those most at risk
Work alongside health, social care and community partners to identify and engage people most at risk of loneliness, poor mental health and social exclusion, providing targeted support that improves wellbeing and connects individuals to their communities.
This strategic focus aligns with local, regional and national priorities to improve mental health, reduce loneliness and tackle health. This includes the One Stockport vision, Stockport Locality Plan (NHS), Greater Manchester’s Live Well agenda, the UK Government’s Tackling Loneliness agenda and the GM Age Friendly Strategy.
Inspiring Futures
Providing education and enrichment opportunities to support both adults and young people to drive personal aspiration, achievement and development.
Objective 1:
raise aspirations
Inspire children, young people and adults to raise their aspirations by providing engaging educational, sporting, mentoring and enrichment experiences that build confidence, broaden horizons and encourage lifelong learning.
Objective 3:
improve educational outcomes
Work with schools, colleges and community partners to enhance educational attainment, improve school engagement and provide targeted support for those at risk of underachievement or disengagement.
This strategic focus supports local, regional and national priorities to improve educational attainment, develop skills, increase employability and create opportunities for lifelong learning. It fits with the One Stockport vision, Greater Manchester’s skills and employment agenda, the Department for Education’s Opportunity Mission and the Youth Guarantee, ensuring all young people have access to education, training, employment or apprenticeships.
Objective 2: develop skills for life & work
Equip participants with the knowledge, skills and personal qualities needed to succeed in education, employment and everyday life, with a focus on leadership, communication, teamwork and resilience.
Objective 4:
create pathways to opportunity
Develop clear progression pathways into volunteering, further education, training and employment, enabling participants to achieve their potential and make a positive contribution to their communities.
driven by community: powered by county
our building blocks to success pride in the badge people first place centred
Our connection with Stockport County Football Club is one of our greatest strengths. By harnessing the Club’s heritage, influence and unique ability to inspire, we will foster pride, belonging and aspiration across the borough.
Together, we will engage communities, create opportunities and use the power of Stockport County and Edgeley Park, along with the involvement of players, to improve lives for people of all ages.
Our staff are our greatest strength and will be central to our success. We are committed to creating a supportive, inclusive and people-first culture where everyone feels valued, inspired and empowered to succeed.
Through investment in wellbeing, continuous professional development, learning opportunities and clear pathways for career progression, we will build a skilled and motivated workforce capable of delivering lasting impact for our communities.
We are committed to ensuring that the majority of programmes are delivered in Stockport, working primarily in the areas that need us the most. We are committed to delivering 80% of programmes in the 20% most deprived areas in the community.
Our place centred approach will ensure our work is shaped by the people and communities we serve. By listening to local voices, understanding community needs and working alongside residents and partners, we will deliver programmes that create lasting change across Stockport.
driven by community: powered by county
Partnerships will be central to delivering our strategy. By working collaboratively with schools, businesses, local authorities, health organisations and community groups, we will combine expertise, maximise resources and create innovative solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across Stockport.
practice driven
Strong governance will underpin everything we do. Through effective leadership, robust decision-making, an unwavering commitment to safeguarding and a culture of accountability, we will ensure the Trust remains financially sustainable, well-managed and trusted to deliver lasting, positive impact for the communities we serve.
Effective storytelling and communications will be fundamental to the Trust’s success. By sharing the impact of our work, celebrating participant journeys and demonstrating the power of football to transform lives, we will strengthen our reputation, build lasting partnerships and encourage more people to engage with our programmes and purpose.
partnership focused positive storytelling
Supporting Stockport County’s Wider community programmes
In addition to the programmes delivered directly by Stockport County Community Trust, the Trust is also committed over the next four years to deliver a number of wider programmes on behalf of Stockport County Football Club.
Kits by county Grassroots Fund
Kits by County provides free PE kits to children in local primary schools to help promote sport and physical activity and to remove any barrier that children have to participation due to families struggling to afford basic PE kits.
Since its launch in September 2024, the Trust and Club have worked collaboratively to provide over 12,000 kits to over 50 Stockport primary schools.
The aim over the next four years by all at Stockport County is to develop and continue this initiative to continue to help provide PE kits to those families that need them the most.
Since September 2023, Stockport County has donated over £120,000 in grants to local grassroots football teams through the Grassroots Football Fund.
Funding is used by local junior football clubs in Stockport to help reduce the cost of monthly subscription charges for families, provide coaching qualifications and equipment.
The Club is committed to continuing these grants over the next four years, providing an additional £130,000 making the total commitment to grassroots football around £250,000 by 2030.
driven by community: powered by county
Matchday support for local charities Christmas Giving
The Community Trust works closely with Stockport County to help use matchday as a way to support local charities. This includes providing opportunities for bucket collections which help raise around £20,000 annually for charities supporting Stockport residents.
Over the next four years, the aim is to help raise an additional £100,000 through matchday activations for Stockport based charities.
Stockport County Football Club and the Community Trust work closely to provide support to local communities around Christmas. This includes buying presents for local children, providing food to homeless charities and the legendary community Christmas lunch held at Edgeley Park.
The Trust and Club are committed to help support a range of communities across Stockport over the next four years through a variety of activities through support from all the club including staff and players.