A look back at our achievements over the last 12 months.
About Stockport County Community Trust
Stockport County Community Trust was established as a registered charity in 2021 to help deliver the vision of owner Mark Stott. Following his acquisition of the club he outlined his ambition for Stockport County FC to remain at the heart of the town, using football as a catalyst for change and acting as a community anchor for loyal supporters and local residents.
With that core objective in mind, The Trust now delivers a wide variety of projects that addresses the needs and inequalities existing across the borough. By harnessing the power of football, and by collaborating with key stakeholders, the Trust helps make a positive difference across Stockport. It aims to do this by increasing physical activity, improving wellbeing, increasing educational attainment and building stronger communities and to enable people to lead more positive lives by being:
Delivering for our community
To help show the impact of the work of Stockport County Community Trust, the charity has recently engaged the services of Substance, a market leader in helping to calculate the social value of a charity i.e what the charity is worth in monetary value to the local community.
Recent research undertaken by Substance highlights that that the Trust has engaged around 7,500 participants in the 23/24 season, over 5,000 of which worked with the Trust on a regular project. This research also shows the Trust generates around £1.8 million of social value to the borough of Stockport.
A message from our CEO
2024 was a truly memorable year for Stockport County, which saw the team gaining promotion after securing the EFL League Two championship in style. The euphoric trophy parade through the streets of Stockport, and the joy this brought to our community, will live long in the memory.
Last year was a significant year off the field, too. In May we launched our innovative Kits By County scheme, which pledged to raise funds over an 18-month period to provide 12,000 PE kits to Stockport primary school pupils facing barriers to physical education. In October we also announced the County Community Trust threeyear Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which outlined our core priorities and principles as well setting out how we intend to make a positive difference to the lives of people in Stockport.
Among the many CCT highlights in 2024 was the rolling out of our groundbreaking Schools Programme, supported by Together Finance, which demonstrated how learning through football could inspire school pupils across the borough. Also, in a bid to engage under-represented groups in our community, we established County Pride FC, the Club’s first-ever LGBTQ team.
Some of the most iconic photos of the trophy parade featured the new ‘The Scarf My Father Wore’ mural as a backdrop. This striking artwork, located at the top of Castle Street, was created with the help of young people in Stockport alongside well-known street artist Oskar-with-a-k and GRIT Studios.
We have continued to build up our health and wellbeing programmes, establishing new walking football teams for men and women and hosting our regular Wednesday Wellbeing sessions at Edgeley Park. As a charity we realise the importance of measuring and demonstrating our success to funders and stakeholders. However, we never lose sight of the fact that among these statistics lie the human stories, the people behind the numbers, the groups and individuals whose lives the Trust has improved immeasurably.
I’d like to thank the staff team at the Trust, whose dedication and enthusiasm bring our programmes alive, our Trustees, whose tireless support is invaluable, along with the many partners and colleagues who champion our work. With your help, the Community Trust will continue to build a lasting legacy in Stockport while making a real difference to the lives of those that need us.
Alison Warwood, CEO Stockport County Community Trust
Alison Warwood with (L-R) Leader of Stockport Council Mark Hunter, Stockport County manager Dave Challinor and Stockport County Non-Executive Chairman Ken Knott
Health & Wellbeing
Social Wellbeing Group
Our Social Wellbeing Group meets in the Pareto Lounge every Wednesday morning. Run by Trust staff and a team of friendly volunteers, these sessions provide a safe, warm and welcoming space for vulnerable members of the community who may suffer from loneliness, isolation or poor mental health. As well as enjoying a cuppa and a cookie (as well as a quiz and a game of bingo!) participants may also take part in seated yoga or art therapy, led by qualified practitioners, or take a guided stroll around the Edgeley Park pitch or nearby Alexandra Park. The group also provides welcome respite for carers working with vulnerable adults.
Walking Football
County Community Trust runs a hugely successful programme of walking football aimed at improving the physical and mental wellbeing of men and women aged 45-plus. Taking place at Powerleague Stockport and the Pro Football Arena in Handforth, these friendly, supportive sessions allow participants to keep fit, stay active and make new friends.
Sessions are delivered by our qualified CCT coaches and are suitable for all levels of ability (for some, it’s the first time they’ve ever tried a team sport). Those with a competitive spirit also get the chance to represent Stockport County in regional tournaments or take part in the annual Festival of Football staged on the Edgeley Park pitch during the close season.
Healthy Hatters
Our Healthy Hatters project, based at Powerleague Stockport, aims to improve adults’ health and fitness, particularly those who struggle with their balance and mobility. The weekly sessions include chairbased activities, indoor games and gentle outdoor exercise, all designed to improve movement and confidence.
The Move to a Mile challenge, in partnership with Stockport Council, saw the Healthy Hatters group receiving help and encouragement to build up enough strength and stamina to walk a mile in the town centre as part of the Stockport Moves event.
Disability Football
The Trust is committed to maximising inclusion and participation in sport – we strongly believe that sport is for all – and we are incredibly proud of our disability football provision. Our weekly County Comets session, funded by The FA, caters for boys and girls up the age of 16 across the whole spectrum of disability, with older participants invited to join the Adults’ group.
Both sessions take place in a fun, friendly and supportive environment, and participants are also offered the chance to represent Stockport County in regional tournaments as well as Cheshire FA’s Ability Counts League. The Trust also works closely with local special needs educational charity Seashell Trust, regularly inviting its students to events and matches at Edgeley Park in addition to offering work experience placements, something rarely afforded to pupils with complex needs.
County Coffee
Club
The County Coffee Club is one the Trust’s newest programmes, having been launched in April 2024 in association with men’s mental health charity and Stockport County partner, Mentell. This monthly event enables local people to come along to Edgeley Park to chat with staff from Mentell, as well as representatives from guest charity partners which have included Boost, Friendly Fridays and Coffee, Chill and Spill. These get-togethers are primarily aimed at encouraging local people to open up about their emotional wellbeing. Which may include signposting to healthcare professionals in the Stockport area.
Kick Start with County
In early 2024 we launched Kickstart with County, a seven-week fitness programme based at Edgeley Park and run in partnership with our official wellness partner, Vitality UK. The scheme, attended by 25 County fans and local residents, aimed to build up the group’s strength and stamina with the objective of completing of a Stockport parkrun for the first time. With training and encouragement from Trust staff and experienced fitness instructors, every single runner completed the 5k course and reached their personal targets.
2024 in Pictures
March - Launch of creative writing book
April - HAF (Holiday Activities & Food)
June - Attended our first Stockport
Easter programme
Pride event
February - Creation of Scarf My Father Wore mural
May - Edgeley Park Pitch Takeover
January - Vitality Kick Start
July - Launch of Kits By County
October - County players mark Black History Month
August - Launch of Kellogg’s County
September - Together continues to support Schools Programme
November - Local pupils create Remembrance poppy collage
December - Christmas activities take place in the community
What a year it’s been!
Camps
Inclusion & Participation
Youth Engagement
With support from the Premier League Charitable Fund, County Community Trust delivers youth engagement programmes throughout the year, five nights a week, across ten local venues. These free, fully-coached sessions are designed to provide diversionary activities for young people who may be at risk of crime or anti-social behaviour in their area.
Attendees also take part in workshops delivered by partners such as Greater Manchester Police and Network Rail which emphasise the importance of civic pride, community safety and personal responsibility.
Girls’ Football
At County Community we do our utmost to ensure that aspiring female footballers are given the same chances to progress in the game as their male counterparts, and are actively encouraged to pursue a pathway into the Stockport County Ladies FC. With this in mind, the Trust runs free, Wildcat sessions, supported by The FA across Stockport as well as laying on girls-only sessions during school holidays.
Players can also compete in a variety of regional tournaments, including the Festival of Football on the Edgeley Park pitch. We understand the importance of recruiting women’s football coaches, too, and are proud that CCT’s Education and Sports team includes two female members.
Holiday Activity & Food (HAF) programme
The Trust delivers the government-funded Holiday Activity and Food programme during the Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays. This varied and wide-ranging programme provides free activities to local children in receipt of free school meals. We liaise with local partners and businesses to lay on an array of indoor and outdoor activities that may include boxing training, street dance and inflatable obstacle courses. Day trips to parks, farms and other heritage sites are also arranged, allowing the boys and girls to enjoy some fresh air, green space and a change of scenery.
The children also receive a free and nutritious lunch every day, which helps ease the burden for families who may struggle to feed their children during the long school holidays.
County Camps
The Community Trust runs its own soccer schools during the summer, Christmas and Easter breaks. Supported by Kellogg’s UK, in partnership with the EFL, these programmes are aimed at both boys and girls and are held at Stockport Sports Village (the home of Stockport County’s Academy) and Cheadle Heath Nomads FC. Attendees can enjoy skills training, technique advice and match action, all delivered by CCT’s team of qualified football coaches.
County Camps can even offer a platform for boys and girls to showcase their talents and we hope we can encourage a new generation of home-grown Stockport County players like Ethan Pye and Ashton Mee, who both recently graduated from the club’s Academy.
Inclusion & Participation
County in the Park
During school holidays, our County in the Park scheme provides free footballing activities for children and teenagers living in the more deprived areas of the borough. Qualified and experienced Trust coaches host sessions in venues such as Alexandra Park, Hollywood Park and Offerton Park, which enable young people to stay active and make new friends during their school break.
This summer, the participants were lucky enough to receive a visit from our League Two champions’ trophy. Once the football season has ended we host County on the Park which gives young people the chance to play on the Edgeley Park pitch itself.
County Pride
The Trust is committed to supporting our town’s growing LGBTQ+ community – the rainbow flag now flies proudly over Edgeley Park – and we have developed a number of projects designed to increase inclusion, participation and representation. We launched County Pride FC in March 2024, a weekly football session for the LGBTQ+ community which not only offers a safe and supportive space for attendees, but also encourages them to foster a stronger connection with Stockport County.
Our County Pride players have now progressed to taking part in football tournaments with other like-minded teams in the region. The Trust also set up a monthly board games and quiz nights at Edgeley Park for the LGBTQ+ community and, in June 2024, we were delighted to take part in the Stockport Pride carnival with our own club mascot Vernon Bear leading the parade.
Marginalised Communities
Stockport has an increasingly diverse population, and recent statistics show that these minority groups are under-represented in football across the borough. To tackle this inequality, County Community Trust runs a series of projects that provide football opportunities to improve health, wellbeing and social integration.
This includes working with homeless individuals who attend The Wellspring in Stockport and providing football opportunities for young asylum seekers who are currently housed in the town. We also deliver regular sessions to diverse ethnic communities, with an objective of increasing their representation in grassroots football.
Military Veterans’ Projects
The Community Trust developed its first military veterans’ programme in 2023, following the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant alongside Stockport County Football Club. Since then, the Trust has launched a hugely successful weekly football session for veterans, some of whom took part in the inaugural Royal British Legion Football Cup in August 2024.
In a bid to reduce the loneliness and social isolation experienced by many ex-armed forces personnel, the Trust also runs the Thursday morning Naafi Break at Edgeley Park. This allows male and female veterans to get together for a coffee and a chat in a friendly, relaxed and supportive atmosphere. The Trust and the Club are always proud to honour Remembrance Day in November, with associated activities at Edgeley Park, and also take part in the Armed Forces Day celebrations in Stockport town centre.
Matchdays & Edgeley Park Events
Our home at Edgeley Park
Matchdays are what we do best at Edgeley Park, and the club and Trust work hard to ensure that community work is showcased to our thousands of supporters. The flag bearers programme, for example, offers local junior football clubs the opportunity to welcome the first team onto the pitch before kick-off, and our bucket collections enable local organisations, from Stockport Sea Cadets to Beechwood Cancer Care, to raise vital funds on a busy matchday.
The Trust also organises regular visits to games for project beneficiaries which often includes half-time presentations and congratulatory laps of honour around the pitch. Since 2023, and thanks to support from John Lewis Cheadle, we have also installed a quiet room at our Trust HQ for fans who may suffer with sensory overload on a match day.
Christmas at County
Stockport County always pledges its support to the most vulnerable communities over the festive period and Edgeley Park is perfect venue for the Trust to host parties and celebrations.
Last Christmas over 150 people enjoyed first-rate food and entertainment in the 1883 Lounge, including residents of local care homes and members of our military veterans and Parkinson’s projects.
Edgeley Park Pitch Takeover
After the final celebrations had taken place at Edgeley Park following the lifting of the League Two trophy, large numbers of community groups and businesses got to try out the award winning Edgeley Park surface in the annual pitch take over. In May, this included many of the participants in Trust programmes, including the Walking Football teams, the veterans football team, primary and secondary school children and a large number of grassroots teams through the inaugural ‘Festival of Grassroots Football’ which involved all the teams who had received funding from the club’s Grassroots Football Fund.
Marketing Stockport also held a tournament on the pitch raising funds for Stockport County Community Trust.
Media Coverage
“The Trust’s women’s walking football is just perfect for keeping me fit and is a great way to socialise and make new friends. As you get older it can be difficult to find an activity that suits your needs, but for me this really fits the bill.”
Karen, women’s walking football player
“County Pride is a great space for everyone to come together and football in a safe space. As a fan it’s brought me closer to Stockport County and it’s great to be part of a club that supports the LGBTQ community.”
Kristian, County Pride FC player
the
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Natalie Peters I’m absolutely loving this programme. It’s been a great kick-start back into running again. We have an amazing group.
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Claire Goodman
Natalie Peters I totally agree!!
“The social wellbeing group at Edgeley Park gives me something to get up for…I suffer with anxiety and poor mental health and there’s always someone there who’ll say ‘you’ll be fine, you’ll get through it’…”
Edd, Social Wellbeing group volunteer
“Taking part in the Trust’s disability football sessions has massively helped my confidence and helps me to feel free and motivated. The coaches really believe in me and bring the best out of me… I’ve become a better player and a better person since joining the team.”
Megan, disability football player
Councillor Leah Taylor - Edgeley Community Association
Love
Naafi break idea I’ve got font memories of Naafi shops from growing up on army camps, seeing the name took me right back today!
Stockport County Community Trust would like to thank all the individuals, businesses, organisations and local grassroots clubs who have worked with us during 2024.
The wide support the Trust receives enables us to achieve our aims in supporting communities around Stockport.
