Junior football club has new home

THE award-winning Frodsham Junior Football Club has a new home – at Helsby High School.
After several months of negotiations, the club’s executive committee has reached an agreement with the school for all club home matches and summer training to take place at the school for the next 12 months, with a view to a longer-term partnership.
An FA Charter Standard Community Club – the highest standard for a grassroots club within the FA structure – Frodsham JFC is one of the most established and well-respected clubs in the region.
It has been nominated – for the second year running – in the Cheshire FA Annual Awards category of “FA Charter Standard Community Club of the Year”.
Helsby High, rated “good” by Ofsted, has partner primary schools in the surrounding villages of Alvanley, Ashton Hayes, Aston, Dunham-on-the-Hill, Frodsham, Helsby, Kingsley, Manley and Norley with an annual intake of more than 200 year seven pupils, many of who are already players at Frodsham Juniors.
The club and school have a strong track record of working in partnership through the hugely successful Frodsham Juniors FC Festival of Football.
In addition, the club has developed links with local primary schools through its annual inter-schools’ tournament involving 14 schools and more than 100 children.
Frodsham JFC’s head of coach and player development Joe Bell said: “The move to Helsby High School is a huge step in our club’s development and we believe that this new partnership will be extremely beneficial for both our club and Helsby High School. Alongside providing the school with an additional income and the football club with a fantastic facility it provides many opportunities for both parties to share costs, equipment, and potentially invest in joint ventures in the future.”
Helsby High head teacher John Dowler said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with a forward looking and successful junior football club. We are confident that through working together with community organisations we can make best use of the existing school site, as well as working together to further improve the facilities in future years”.
Frodsham JFC is one of the largest junior football clubs within the Cheshire FA and continues to grow year on year with 473 boys and girls playing across 38 teams. The club also boasts more than 75 volunteers, 40 FA Level One qualified coaches and 10 FA Level Two Qualified coaches.
Frodsham JFC chairman John Heath added: “Finding a ‘home’ has been a club priority for many years; bringing the Frodsham JFC family to a single location on match days will generate a fantastic atmosphere for our players and visiting teams and a sense of community for our own supporters. The integration between the different age groups, coaches and teams can only benefit our growth as a club.
“In addition, having access to both changing and toilet facilities on match days will enhance the experience of our visitors, players and spectators and in turn, our standing as a club. Our aim is to be the best junior football club in the region. The lack of a dedicated base for the whole club has held us back when compared with our peers, at a time when all other aspects of our club have grown and improved.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about Frodsham Juniors should visit www.frodshamjfc.org.uk